Forget Me Not
by AssassinedAngel
Summary: Yuki is the prince of Kaze and Tohru,the princess of Daichi. Their families are the worst of enemies but destiny seems to have its own plans for them. Fate brought them together but will their love be able to withstand all their problems?
1. Saving Tohru

Dedicated to Kira-chan! (aka DeadlyKitty!)

Disclaimer: I **do not** own the Fruits Basket Characters!

Note: Takes place in modern time!

Daichi and Kaze are my made of countries! NO SOHMA CURSE!

Forget Me Not: it takes on the literal meaning don't forget me and the flower which stands for true love.

Kisa, Haru and Tohru are related. I made Haru older though! Tohru-16/17, Kisa-13, and Haru–18

_Two teenagers sat lip-locked_ _under a cherry blossom tree. Pink petals fluttered around aimlessly landing around the couple. They broke apart after a minute or two. The brunette girl stared at the boy, a mop of silver hair sat on top of his head. He reached forward and held onto her hand in a loving gesture. On her left ring finger sat a diamond engagement ring. She smiled and opened her brown eyes staring at the man, but instead of his face, all she could see was a peach colored smudge. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her cheek. She shut her eyes again and wrapped her arms around his waist, and he did the same back to her. _

_"I love you Tohru…" _

Tohru jumped up sitting upright in her bed waking up right away. She glanced around her room wildly for a minute before she realized she had just had a dream. Tohru swallowed nervously. That was an embarrassing dream to have. Covering her face with her hands, she could feel how warm her cheeks were. She usually didn't fantasize about boys or kissing them, but his kiss and his embrace, they both felt so realistic to her. Just remembering that kiss was enough to make her blush. Shaking her head, she made an attempt to clear that image from her head but failed miserably. Still unable to stop her dream from replaying in her mind, Tohru climbed out of her bed and decided to get ready for her day. Today was a very important day after all, and she couldn't waste her time day dreaming about some man and her.

She walked over to her closet and pulled out the outfit she had selected yesterday. Slipping out of her pajamas she pulled on a plain tan skirt and a white shirt. Tohru made her way over to her dressing table after she had changed out of her night gown and selected a simple ribbon from her drawer. She pulled the front half of her hair back and wrapped the ribbon around her brown locks to keep her hair in place. Next, Tohru draped a hooded cloak around her shoulders. Her hands fumbled tying together the two strings of her cloak together. Now, only her bright brown eyes and a little of her face showed with her hood on. This look suited her perfectly considering the fact that she didn't want anyone to recognize her at town today. Being a princess, she usually drew a lot of attention to herself.

She took a deep breath checking around her bedroom one last time before she opened the window. Tohru grabbed the rope off of her cabinet and tied one end to her bed post. Gathering the rest of the rope in her arms, she headed over to her open window and tossed the rope out. The thick rope dived down the castle wall and landed on the grass behind a bush in a bundle. Slowly she climbed out the window. Her hands were wrapped tightly around the rope as she made her way down the wall from her third floor room. As she went downwards, she continued to count to ten repeatedly to keep herself calm. Despite her efforts to remain relaxed, several feet from the ground she lost her grip. She shrieked as she dropped onto the bushes below her. Soft footsteps could be heard nearing where she was lying. Tohru quickly scrambled out of the bushes spotting Haru standing in front of her.

"Niisan(big brother)! You found me…" Tohru sighed kneeling on the ground with her head hanging in shame.

"Well, you do always sneak out this time of year…" replied Haru flatly.

"You're not going to tell Hakufu(uncle), are you?" asked Tohru nervously.

Her eyes glimmered with fear. She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to go out and get Kisa, her younger sister, a gift. Today was Kisa's birthday, and as of now she had nothing she could give the little girl. That wouldn't be good; she would hate to tell Kisa she had no gift. Kisa would be so disappointed in her. Tohru looked up with him with a sheepish smile hoping he wouldn't be angry. As far as she knew, this was the first time anyone had caught her when she was sneaking out. Haru kept his expression strict, but he wouldn't tell anyone. He was her big brother; he wanted to help her, not make her hate him or work against him. Though with Tohru, hate and work against didn't seem like terms she was familiar with.

"If I did, Kisa wouldn't have a birthday gift, now would she?" Haru muttered with a smile.

"Thank you Nii-san!!!" exclaimed Tohru as she got back onto her feet. She wrapped her arms around her older brother tightly. He patted her back three times before pulling away from her. If she stayed here any longer, he knew she wouldn't make it back on time. Tohru wasn't aware of it, but Haru knew she got Kisa a gift on her birthday every year; he knew when she left, and he knew exactly how long it took her to pick out a gift and get back to the castle. Tohru beamed at him and bowed her head with pure gratitude. She didn't know what she would have done if Haru didn't let her go. He was a rather overprotective brother after all.

"But be careful. A princess of Daichi shouldn't be out without any guards," Haru warned as he pulled a leaf out of her hair.

"I will," replied Tohru with a reassuring smile.

"You have a couple of hours to spare. Be back by noon though," Haru reminded her.

"Don't worry! I'll be fine," Tohru reassured the worried white haired teen.

Haru walked with Tohru to the secret exit which was hidden behind a thick row of thorny trees. He was actually the one who had discovered the exit when he was a child. Always looking for ways to leave the castle by himself, he had been the rebellious child. Tohru didn't like the fact that she was leaving without permission, but she had no other choice. Her aunt and uncle didn't like any of them going to town on their own or with a guard. Deciding not to fret over it, she knelt down in front of the dull grey, brick wall and ran her fingers across it looking for the loose bricks. Tohru's face lit up as she found them. She lightly pushed them out one at a time. Haru helped her shove the rest of them aside so she could get out quicker. The hole made after they had removed the bricks was barely big enough for Tohru to squeeze out of, but it would have to do.

Rarely anyone came by here since the wall seemed tall and sturdy, and the trees were hard to get by. This was perfect for the siblings because if guards did come by, they wouldn't be able to sneak out anymore. Most of the guards hung around the gate and castle anyways. They never thought anyone would want to sneak out of the palace, they didn't even know that their strong wall had any loose bricks. Only three people knew about it, Tohru, Haru and Kisa. Tohru crawled under the small gap in the wall and waved to Haru before standing up. He smiled before he put the bricks back in place cutting her off from his view. She brushed the dirt off of her hands and skirt before scurrying down the road grateful that she had gotten out safely.

He ran one of his hands over the top of his head surprised that no one had ever caught her yet. She wasn't exactly a sneaky person or quiet since she was so clumsy. He was pretty shocked that she had managed to get to the other side of the wall without hitting her head. Haru sighed as he headed back to the castle worried that she would get lost or get in trouble and come back late. Either way, it would be partially his fault for not stopping her or even offering to go with her. A part of him wanted to follow her and watch her to keep her safe, but he knew his role know. All he had to do now was cover up for her until she got back. He couldn't help but wonder what she'd do without him. Didn't she know that people were constantly looking for her on days like these?

"Nii-san!" called Kisa as she ran towards Haru.

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of his youngest sister, Kisa. Haru stopped walking so she could catch up to him. She stopped breathlessly by Haru gasping for air. Haru turned around to face her with a half smile patiently waiting for the birthday girl to catch her breath. It seemed like she had been running around for a while looking for him. He was curious to know why she was looking for him, usually she preferred to go to Tohru, but Tohru wasn't here. Tohru not being here was probably why she was looking for him. Her disappearance was noticed quicker than he had anticipated. He patted her head, a wordless, beforehand apology for making her worry and for not being able to tell her where Tohru was.

"Hey Kisa," Haru greeted her.

"Good morning… Have you seen Onee-chan (big sister)?" Kisa gasped in between breaths.

"No I haven't…" Haru lied coolly.

"I should tell Oubasan (aunt) and Hakufu! Onee-chan is missing!" cried Kisa worriedly.

"Don't worry about Tohru. She'll show up sooner or later…Why don't you go get ready for your party?" Haru suggested trying to distract the light orange haired girl.

"Yeah okay… but I'm still worried about Onee-chan," replied Kisa with a slight nod.

Haru smiled as he watched her run off. A sigh of relief left his mouth. Kisa hadn't suspected a thing. She was so innocent, not yet grasping the concept of a lie yet even though she was thirteen. Secretly he preferred her ignorance; it made things a lot easier. He didn't know what else he would say if she hadn't bought that, but he was a good liar; he was sure he would have been able to come up with something. Haru decided he had better come up with one story for where Tohru was before he made up several excuses; they'd know he was lying for sure then. He would have stuck with pretending he knew nothing, but then they'd send out a search party for her. That meant he'd have to use his old lie, he had sent Tohru out on an errand. Satisfied with this choice, Haru moved on, whistling a soft tune ready to practice his acting with more lies to anyone who questioned Tohru's whereabouts.

Tohru had arrived at the town pretty quickly. She walked around the streets stopping to look at the items each shop had via the windows. Nothing stuck out to her as something Kisa would adore and cherish for a long time. Kisa was the type of girl who would like anything, but she wanted the gift to be special! She continued down the sidewalk lost in her thoughts. Her head hurt a bit. Haru had explained to her she had been in a car accident recently even though she couldn't remember it. She assumed it was from hitting her head during the accident or something like that. Rubbing her head she continued on her way. She didn't have time to stop; she had to get back to the castle before noon.

_"I miss mom and dad. Oubasan and Hakufu are stricter. Mom would have come with me to go shopping but… now they both are gone… About two years ago mom and dad were killed by a terrible car crash. The driver was never found. Since then Oubasan and Hakufu ruled the kingdom. I don't remember the accident clearly but that's what everyone told me… But I know that things changed dramatically…"_

Tohru let out a deep breath as she started to walk across the road. Depression started to get to her. Every time she thought about her mother and father she couldn't help but feel forlorn. She had been close to them, especially to her mother, Kyoko, her mom was practically her best friend. They did everything together, they cooked, they cleaned and most of all they talked sharing all their secrets. It didn't matter that they were royalty; they enjoyed to help the servants even though her father, Katsuya, didn't approve of them doing chores. It seemed like just yesterday her mother was laughing with her but now she just had Haru and Kisa. What she couldn't figure out was why she couldn't remember anything about them dying, nothing at all, Haru told her it was because she didn't want to remember that she forced herself to forget, she had believed that for a while but now she wasn't so sure. The timing didn't seem to match up at all.

_"Hakufu got in a terrible fight with the king of our neighboring country, Kaze. They are now the worst of enemies, a war almost broke out a while ago. The tension slightly eased… but … they still don't get along. The town is on the boundary between Daichi and Kaze so I guess that's why Hakufu doesn't like it when we come here. That's why we sneak out. Mom and dad used to be good friends with the king and queen of Kaze… But I don't remember much about them except they had two sons and one was very handsome and around my age… I don't remember what he looked like… What was his name again? Haru should know… Maybe I'll ask him later…"_

"Watch out!!!"

Tohru spun around to see a speeding car racing off in her direction. She couldn't move; her feet were frozen to the ground. The car continued to get closer and closer to her. She wanted to scream but no words came out; she couldn't even breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest loudly and quickly. Time seemed to slow down; the car was less than a couple of yards away from her now. She could already see the driver, and yet she still couldn't pick up her feet. A silver haired boy ran into the street swiftly yet gently shoving her out of the way. The next thing she knew she was lying on the floor next to the boy as the car passed. Her eyes were still shut, and her body was tense in preparation for the impact, but she felt none, other than someone shoving her out of the way. Tohru blinked, what just happened not fully sinking in yet. She glanced around, her eyes trailing to the car that was continuing down the road.

"Sorry! My brakes are broken! I can't stop!!!" the man called looking back out of his window apologetically.

His car continued to speed down the road not slowing down one bit. It sped past a red light, swerving around other honking cars until it turned a corner and was out of Tohru's sight. She peered around the area once more, still trying to piece together what had happened when her eyes landed on her savior. She blushed realizing that he wasn't a boy, more like a teenager, most likely around her age. The man ran his hand through his dark strands straightening out the silver mess. He turned to face her gazing at her seriously, his bangs falling over his eyes. He had silver hair just like the man from her dream she had earlier this morning. Gaping at him, her jaw dropped slightly and her eyes tripled in size. She shut her mouth only to open it again in attempt to say something. Blinking, she covered her mouth still struggling to speak.

"Are you alright?" the boy asked his head cocked to the side worriedly.

She stared into his grey eyes which were full of concern. He was very handsome. Strangely he looked very familiar like she had known him before. He was in her dream; of course she had to have seen him before at the least. How else would she have been able to dream about him? Who was he? Had they met before? If they had met before, she clearly couldn't remember him. At this point she couldn't even remember what had happened in her dream anymore. All she knew now was that he had been in one of her dreams, and that was starting to scare her. He continued to peer at her wondering why she wasn't responding to his questions. Peeling her hand off of her face, she took another look at her hero.

"I'm fi-fine," Tohru choked out with a dark blush.

"Are you hurt at all?" he continued.

"No…" replied Tohru.

"That's good," he responded with a smile.

His smile looked a little empty to her, but, nonetheless, it still lit up his face. A warmer smile would definitely make him look ten times more striking, if looking any better was even possible for this man. It was getting more difficult to look at him without blushing like a freaky stalker. She glanced down at her legs embarrassedly. He must think she was a complete idiot for spacing out in the middle of the road. Either that or he probably thought she had problems, serious issues. Tohru sometimes hated herself, she left the worst first impressions. She scolded her self mentally, repeating to herself over and over that she should stop thinking and walking at the same time; it was dangerous for her to do. Thinking and sitting didn't seem like something she should be doing either since she completely forgot that he was still there until she heard other people whispering about the two of them.

"Amazing!!! **He** saved her!!!" exclaimed a short girl pointing at the two at the ground.

"Ooh! I am so jealous!!!" cried another.

He seemed to be ignoring these comments. It didn't seem to surprise her; such a gorgeous guy must attract a lot of attention. Did he get these kinds of remarks often? But those girls were right in more than one way. He was extremely good looking, and he had saved her from getting hit by a car, something she hadn't expected anyone to do, not that she wasn't grateful. Tohru really had no clue how to thank him; he had saved her! She owed him her life! Without him she would have died or at least wound up in the hospital. Shyly peeking up at him, Tohru checked to see if he seemed angry at her for not showing any signs of appreciation for what he did. He was looking down at the floor, seeming to be thinking about something until he noticed that she was staring at him. He raised his eye brows at her, and she turned her head away from him before remembering why she was even looking at him.

"Oh! I forgot to thank you! You saved my life!!!" Tohru thanked him bowing her head.

"It was nothing…" He muttered as he stood up brushing off his pants.

_"He risked his life to save me and he says it's nothing?"_

He held out his hand to help her up. For a brief moment, all she could do was stare at his hand. When she figured out what he wanted her to do with his hand, Tohru shyly placed her hand in his, and he pulled her up swiftly. Her hand in his, it fit so perfectly, like fate had their meeting planned out ahead of time. His hand felt so warm against her cold skin, she could have sworn all her body heat left when she was on the road. Suddenly, he released her hand, and she was left feeling disappointed. She wanted him to continue holding her hand, but maybe that was a little too much to ask for considering he had just rescued her. Besides, it was rather silly of her to want some stranger to continue holding her hand.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

"Yes… Were you hurt?" replied Tohru peering over at him.

Her eyes scanned over his body quickly checking for any signs of an injury. She didn't find any and smiled. He appeared slightly taken aback by her genuine concern for his well being almost as if he had never seen anyone worry over him before. Tohru didn't bother checking over herself; she didn't feel hurt, and she'd rather spend this time admiring him. At home she had all the time in the world to make sure she wasn't harmed. Besides, even if she was hurt, she didn't know where a doctor was, but she wouldn't mind if he was secretly a doctor. He'd make a good doctor; he looked smart enough to be one, and she was sure he'd look good in one of those white coats doctors wore. She could imagine him as one, and she almost did, but he might not like that. He could secretly have a hate of looking like a doctor! That would be terrible…

"I'm okay…" He answered raking his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry if you don't like looking like a doctor!" Tohru squeaked.

"Wha-what did you say?" Yuki asked giving her a baffled expression.

"Ah! Never mind…" Tohru breathed timidly.

He caught her staring at him a little too long. She glanced away quickly, her cheeks darkening. He looked back at her oddly. That was one of the lamest things she had ever blurted out in her life. Luckily he didn't appear to be offended. What had gotten into her? Tohru wasn't the type of girl to be gawking over a man, but he was different. She was positive if she had a life size portrait of him and looked at it every morning, she'd still be intrigued by how he looked. He was that handsome, no scratch that, he was gorgeous beyond words, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling that she somehow knew him, but a guy like this wasn't the sort that was forgotten. She shot a sideways glance at him. Nope, she definitely had no memories of the man whatsoever.

"I forgot to ask, what's your name?" Tohru changed the subject awkwardly.

"Yuki… and yours?"

"Oh! It's Tohru!"

"Nice to meet you Tohru-san," he responded politely.

"Oh! The pleasure is mine!" she exclaimed bowing her head respectfully.

Yuki stared at her. She definitely wasn't like any other girl he had met before, and she was also beautiful. Pretty and yet sweet, a rare find nowadays. Something about her lured his attention making him forget all else. Nothing around him mattered anymore. His focus was on her now and on making sure that he found out more about this Tohru. He didn't even remember why he was out here in the first place, but she had a strong hold on him, what else could have made him jump into the street to save her? For some reason he felt the urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her. He restrained himself to save him and her from embarrassment.

Was this feeling called love at first sight? He felt so drawn to her already. Or was this feeling chemistry and the fact that they were both teenagers caught in the time when they were interested in the opposite sex? Whatever it was neither of them had ever felt this way before. This feeling, it was so intense, the attraction so strong it started to scare him. For the first time in his life, he felt breathless when he looked at a girl, and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Tohru, on the other hand, made herself stare at a pebble on the floor, she wasn't sure if she could handle looking at him any longer, her palms already felt covered in sweat.


	2. A couple?

$1 – 116 yen (American money to Japanese Yen)

Yuki watched the girl standing next to him for a minute. A sweet hum left her mouth; the sweetest, loveliest sound that he had ever heard reached his ears. He followed her gaze to a bird perched on a nearby tree. Yuki smiled to himself figuring out why she was humming. She looked so adorable stepping near the tree only to have the bird fly away. The frown that formed across her face didn't last long at least. Tohru turned around remembering him and making her way back to him embarrassed to have wandered off. He covered his mouth stifling his laughter before he made her feel more embarrassed. She tilted her head to the side a bit confused at this point. Yuki cleared his throat deciding to start a conversation before he made himself seem like a maniac.

"Do you live around here?" Yuki asked her.

"Eh?"

"Your home, is it located around here?" Yuki clarified.

"Oh…. Not really. Why?" Tohru replied with a nervous smile.

She had completely forgotten that she was dressed as a commoner today. Tohru tried to be more alert and on guard, but her intent look only made Yuki feel like laughing again. He hid his smile well with his hand though, this going by completely unnoticed by the _on-guard _Tohru. Yuki glanced down at her realizing she was about half a foot shorter than him though she seemed around his age. He still wasn't sure why she had a sharp look on her face. Yuki shrugged, simply hoping she wasn't being attentive because she thought he was going to rape her or harass her. That just wasn't an impression he wanted to give to the girl he was allured to. Her concentration began to dwindle away as she started to space out.

"I thought you might want to rest… Are you ill? You shouldn't daze off in the middle of a street. I can take you home if you need," Yuki explained.

Tohru didn't respond. He'd think she was crazy if she told him that her home was the palace of Daichi. Who'd believe that? Only royal people lived there, and she wasn't dressed like one today. Or he could believe her and think she's a maid! That wasn't a pleasing image she wanted him to have. Still, his offer made her happy. It's nice to know there are still some chivalrous people around. Yuki glanced her way, waiting for her to say something. She smiled and changed the subject before she accidentally gave away her status. He didn't seem to notice her awkwardness.

"Do you live around here, Yuki-san?"

"Uh… Not exactly… Let's just say I snuck out," Yuki answered vaguely.

"Oh…"

His situation was similar to hers. Yuki looked ahead not really interested in talking about his life or home. The thing he hated most was the kind of girls who threw themselves at him to become royalty too or just because of his looks. They didn't know a thing about him yet they claimed to be in love with him. In his mind, they were nothing but nuisances, but his kind natured personality kept him from saying anything about that. He didn't want to let her know about his background. She just might be the first person to like him just because he was himself and for no reason related to money and status. His looks weren't something he could hide from her but his title was. It wasn't like he wanted to keep it from her forever, but for now he needed to know if it was possible to love him for something other then the palace.

"Are you in town for any reason?" Yuki asked.

"KYA! I completely forgot! I'm supposed to get my sister a birthday gift!" Tohru cried in a shocked voice.

Tohru's eyes bulged. Because of her outburst, townspeople were beginning to stare at her, but Tohru didn't care. She looked around the streets at the shops anxiously. Her time was almost up; the sun was brightly shining signaling the late morning. How could she let Kisa slip her mind so carelessly like that? Biting her fingernails, Tohru scanned the shops around them for the second time searching for one that might have something for Kisa. She chose a nearby jewelry store to check out. Tohru needed a gift now, and she needed a gift that Kisa would like. It had to be the perfect present! Quickly, she headed towards the store forgetting about Yuki until he spoke to her.

"Is her birthday coming up?"

He walked with her into the nearby store. Yuki pushed the door open for her before following after her. A wind-chime by the door jingled letting the store worker know of their arrival. The jewelry store was quite big. No one but the two of them and the saleslady were in there today. Glass cases lined the walls with a few other shelves. Jewelry made from all sorts of metals with various gems was all neatly encased behind the glass. There was so much to look at, too much; she wasn't sure where to start. Tohru looked around at the shelves and picked up a bracelet examining it briefly. Yuki trailed beside her peering at the bracelet with her.

"It's today," Tohru replied setting the bracelet back down.

"Do you always get presents for her last minute?"

"Yes. I'm afraid she'll accidentally find my gift. I want it to be a surprise so I get it right before the party," Tohru answered.

"I see…"

Yuki just stood there gazing at her and observing her glance over pieces of jewelry. Tohru looked up at him nervously. She didn't want to make him feel like he had to stay; there wasn't much to do in a jewelry store, and she didn't want him getting bored. He stared at her, as each second passed his head filled with another question he was dying to ask her. There was a lot he wanted to learn about her, a lot he needed to know about her. His head was swarming with hundreds of questions, most pf them he would probably not get the chance to ask. She was obviously busy, and he didn't want to distract her yet he couldn't bring himself to leave. It was a coincidence that he had even met her, and with the number of times he was able to leave his palace, he wasn't sure when he would see her again.

"You don't have to stay with me. You can go back to what you were doing before! I'm fine really!" Tohru told Yuki.

"I wasn't doing much earlier but if I'm bothering you I can go," Yuki said nonchalantly.

"Oh no! You're not a bother at all!" Tohru exclaimed.

Yuki smiled watching Tohru look at a small gold ring in a glass case. Why was he relieved that she didn't mind him being there with her? He didn't feel like letting her separate from him just yet though. He needed to know more about this Tohru. Tohru bit her lip to restrain herself from blushing. Yuki was looking at her so intently; she was getting embarrassed. Trying to focus on the ring, she eyed the tag looking at the price. It read '11600 yen'. Tohru continued to inspect the ring, considering the look and weight compared to the price. With a shrug, she moved down the aisle running her eyes across the selection of jewelry. The saleslady behind the counter stared at the two of them suspiciously. She set down the magazine she was flipping through and made her way over to them.

"Do you need any help?" She offered in a false sounding cheerful voice.

"No thank you…" Yuki kindly declined for Tohru.

It was no surprise that the lady looked at them like they were robbers. After all, the way they were dressed now, anybody would think they were just some stupid kids trying to get a little more money. The saleslady pushed these thoughts aside and forced a smile across her lips eyeing the two of them like they were a couple. They both peered back at her completely oblivious to her assumptions about them. She directed both of their attentions to the case of rings in the glass section in front of her. Placing her finger on top of the counter, she beamed and glanced up at them. Tohru kneeled down on the floor to get a better look at the rings. She appeared a bit confused when she saw the diamonds; diamonds were for a man to give a girl, not for a gift between sisters.

"Well… the engagement rings are over here…" the saleslady continued.

"Enga- Engagement rings?" Yuki and Tohru choked out.

Tohru nearly fell over when she heard that. They exchanged startled glances. Both a little taken aback, blushes spread across their faces darkly. The lady observed this with interest, always in a pursuit to make a sale. Yuki and Tohru looked away from each other, the two of them equally embarrassed. Secretly they were both glad to know they appeared to be lovers. The lady pushed her glasses up growing nervous about her mistake of the two. She usually wasn't wrong in these types of situations, but there did seem to be some sort of spark between Yuki and Tohru that made the lady think they were in love, and Tohru had been looking at a ring earlier.

"OH! I'm sorry! You two must be here to get wedding rings, my mistake!"

"Ah….. I'm afraid not…."

"Coupling rings?"

"Not that either…."

With each guess the lady made, their cheeks seemed to get darker and darker. Tohru stared at the rings timidly, unable to look up at Yuki. The rings really were beautiful; there were gold bands, silver bands encrusted with diamonds surrounded by other colorful gems. One stuck out to her in particular, the ring was made out of white gold, and a diamond sat in the center in the shape of a heart with tiny diamonds surrounding it. She partially did wish the two of them were here to get wedding rings instead of a gift for her sister. Placing her hands on the glass she eyed the beautiful ring one last time before clearing things up with the lady.

"I'm here to get a gift for my little sister…" Tohru said.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry!"

Tohru shook her head slowly clearing her head of her fantasies. No point in dreaming they were together, right? It wasn't like she knew him very well, but already he made her heart race and the butterflies dance around in her stomach. She snuck a glance up at his captivating face, feeling her cheeks light up she went back to focusing on a present for Kisa before he noticed that her eyes had been glued on him. She walked along the aisle with the lady following after her. Neither of them noticed that Yuki was still standing before the engagement rings peering at the ring Tohru was previously looking at. When he realized he was standing by himself he embarrassedly walked over to Tohru wondering why he was even looking at a wedding ring. Tohru brushed her hair back shyly peeking up at him. Did he even like her?

The answer was simple: yes, he did. Maybe he didn't realize it exactly yet but he couldn't take his eyes away from her either. He had stared at her as many times as she had gazed at him. She was the breath of fresh air he had been lacking for so long or something along those lines. Being confined in a palace really wasn't the glamorous life it was made out to be. Neither of them had much time to themselves or any freedom for that matter. Yuki smiled to himself hoping that there was a possibility that they'd see each other more then just this one time. It wasn't likely though seeing as this is the first time Yuki had been allowed to leave the castle in two months. Still, he'd be willing to sneak out of the castle everyday if it meant he'd be able to see her again.

"It's okay… umm… How much are those earrings? They have no price…"

"Those? 232,000 yen. Those are real diamonds," The woman stated fondly.

Tohru took another look at them before turning to Yuki for a second opinion. She kept her finger pointed to the set of gold earrings in a small box within the glass case. Shyly she peered back at Yuki beckoning him to come closer to her to have a look at the piece of jewelry. The lady leaned over the counter a bit hoping Tohru would buy the expensive pair, if she sold it she most definitely would be getting a promotion. Yuki took the few steps need for him to arrive at her side.

"Are these appropriate for a girl who is turning thirteen?" Tohru asked Yuki.

Yuki looked down the glass replying, "Those are lovely."

"I'll take them! They really are pretty!" Tohru agreed reaching into her pocket for money.

She sorted the bills in her hands and handed the lady the amount of money needed to get the earrings. The rest she put back securely into her pocket. There wasn't much left anyways, she hadn't expected to spend so much on Kisa's present. It didn't really matter though; she had more than enough untouched money back at home. Tohru didn't exactly have a reason to spend money, her clothes were made for her by a personal tailor, her food prepared by chefs and she hardly went out. She only used money to buy presents for Haru and Kisa so she had more than enough money to spare.

"Thank you!" the lady smiled as she took the money.

The lady unlocked the glass and wrapped them up, handing the package to Tohru. Tohru happily took the earrings with a polite bow. Yuki and Tohru walked out of the shop together. She looked back and noticed the lady holding up the bills to the light to check if the bills were real. Tohru looked down; it was no shock, she did look like a peasant girl today, but that small gesture hurt her inside, partially because she was so used to being treated with the highest regards and half because it was a little rude. Yuki glanced down at her trying to figure out what made her frown.

"Do you know what time it is?" Tohru asked Yuki deciding not to think about that.

"I think it's almost noon," replied Yuki as he glanced up at the sun.

"WAH! I'm going to be late!!! I have to get home!" cried Tohru.

She bit her nails trying to come up with a solution. It was impossible to make it back in time if she walked back. Even if she ran back, she wouldn't make it; the party was going to start in under half an hour. She still needed to shower and change as well. Yuki observed her for a minute guessing that she had no way of getting home other then her own two legs. He smiled as an idea struck him. Tohru needed a way home, and he had nothing better to do; it all worked out perfectly. Besides, he could get to know her a little better this way. Tohru shifted her weight from one foot to the other, still trying to come up with a solution.

"Come with me," Yuki muttered to her quickly.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a run with him. She followed him bewildered by his actions. Tohru kept one hand on the bottom of her dress to keep the wind from lifting it and revealing her undergarments beneath. That would be beyond embarrassing. If that happened, she wasn't sure she'd have enough courage to step outside again for at least a year. Not watching where she was going, Tohru tripped over a stone, but Yuki's grip on her hand kept her from making contact with the ground. He didn't stop to let her regain her balance though. Tohru stumbled on while trying her best to keep a look out for rocks and anything else that could make her fall. Yuki glanced down the road for something in particular slowing down slightly.

"Where are we going? This is the opposite direction of my home!" Tohru exclaimed.

Yuki stopped at the corner of a road releasing her hand. Tohru nearly ran into his back, but she was able to stop herself an inch away from him. He paused at a black motorcycle rummaging through the backseat. Tohru stared at him, was he a robber? She watched him pull out a hidden key and stick it in the bike with a grin when it went in smoothly. This was perfect; sometimes he was grateful at how careless his cousin Kyo was. Who in the right mind would keep a key in their motorcycle and leave it alone? Hopefully he wouldn't notice it was gone until after Yuki returned with it.

"Is this okay???" Tohru asked.

"Yeah… It belongs to my cousin. That idiot leaves a spare key here all the time. Don't worry about it. He won't miss it if I borrow it for a little," Yuki reassured her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, you can't be late, now can you?" Yuki told her with a sweet smile.

Tohru blushed. Why was a guy she just met so willing to help her? He handed her the only helmet that was with the bike. She took it still a little dumbfounded. Yuki got on the motorcycle and looked back at her wondering why she was just standing there. She really was going to be late if she continued at this rate. He balanced the bike with both of his legs outstretched waiting for her. Tohru continued to hold the helmet, cradling it in her hands not sure what he wanted her to do with it.

"Put on your helmet and get on if you don't want to be late," Yuki told her.

She fumbled placing the helmet over her head and tightening the straps. The helmet hung loosely on the top of her head. Slowly she got on behind him and shyly wrapped her arms around his waist. Yuki took a deep breath. It had been a while since he had rode a motorcycle. Calmly he started the engine; it made a loud noise, only softening slightly.

"Aren't you going to wear a helmet???" Tohru asked worriedly.

"There's only one helmet."

"Then you should wear it! You're in front of me and you could get hurt!" Tohru cried as she started to take off the helmet.

Yuki turned around and put his hand on top of her head, stopping her from actually getting it off completely. She peered up at him with her wide brown eyes. He removed his hand embarrassedly. Tohru let her hands drop back down to her side, the helmet slid to the side of her head, loose since she had partially removed the strap. Yuki reached up towards her face, fixing the strap properly for her.

"You're a girl. And I offered you a ride. I wouldn't forgive myself if I let such a pretty girl get hurt," Yuki teased her.

Tohru looked down at her lap, her cheeks flushed. He smiled simply and turned back around; satisfied that he had got her to keep the helmet on. She held onto him tightly as he sped out of there. Yuki drove down the road quickly, hoping that nobody recognized him. The only reaction he got was glares from people bothered by the noise which was better then someone pointing out who he was. He wanted to get away from this place before a cop got mad at him for riding without a helmet.

"Where do you live?"

"Huh?"

"Where do you expect me to take you?"

"Oh! Right! Sorry! Take a left at the end of this road…. And go straight… You can't miss it…" Tohru breathed.

_"Should I be telling a stranger where the palace is…? Oh well… I guess most people know where it is anyways…" _Tohru thought.

Tohru squirmed behind him. Her hands locked firmly around his waist. She rested her head against his back. He was skinny for a guy. He seemed so fragile and delicate like glass yet so handsome and mysterious. She felt herself leave the seat for a fast moment before she landed again as he sped around the corner. Maybe fragile and delicate weren't the best words to describe him but handsome and mysterious fit him perfectly without a doubt.

"Are you okay back there?" Yuki asked her looking back for a quick second.

"Yeah! I'm fine! Why?" She hollered back over all the noise.

"Because you're holding on so tightly I can hardly breathe," Yuki laughed.

She gasped and loosened her grip ever so slightly. Tohru didn't want to hurt him by squeezing him too hard but she was scared of falling off. Her legs were dangling in the air, too short to reach anything. Trying to remain calm she closed her eyes trying to keep distracted from how fast they were going or how dangerous it seemed. This was her first time on a motorcycle; it was no surprise for her to be panicking on it. Seeing her fear caused Yuki to feel bad for teasing her.

"I was kidding, it's okay," Yuki replied.

He looked down the road at the upcoming palace. His eyes widened out of shock. He hid his surprise well but questions flooded his head. There didn't seem to be anywhere else she could live around here unless she was homeless which he highly doubted because of the amount of money she had been carrying. Yuki began to wonder if she was a maid, but a maid wouldn't have that much money either. She had to be the princess but then why would she be out all alone without any guards? Tohru was like him, sneaking out.

"We're almost there…" Yuki added.

She opened her eyes looking up she saw her home, the overly large castle. Tohru glanced at the side of his face; it showed no signs of shock. One could only wonder why… But she didn't have time for questions. If she didn't get home in time there'd be hell to pay. There was no time for her to explain to him her status either but it didn't appear that hard to figure out.

"Stop at the end of the fence please!" Tohru told him.

He nodded and slowed to a stop where she told him to. Yuki got off the bike and turned around and was about to help her off when he felt her topple off onto him. She screamed as she slipped off and sent him crashing to the floor backwards. Tohru wanted to curse herself for being so clumsy; she already gave him a bad impression of her she didn't want him to think more poorly of her. She was just trying to get off herself so she wouldn't trouble him but it looked like she had just caused him more of a problem. Her face instantly turned a bright red as she pushed herself off of his chest.

"I'M SO SORRY! I fell! Please forgive me!" Tohru cried sitting on top of his chest frantically.

"It's okay… Umm... Are you okay?" He asked her with a blush.

"I'm perfectly fine! But I must have been heavy! Did I hurt you?!" Tohru exclaimed as she jumped off of him quickly.

"No… I'm fine… You're not heavy at all…" he muttered as he shoved himself back up.

Tohru looked down awkwardly. Why did she have to embarrass herself to everyone she had ever met? Yuki looked up at her not realizing her embarrassment. He smiled innocently making her face light up in a bright red color. She didn't know what to say at this point. He had helped her greatly already but all she was doing was causing him pain and making him go out of his way to help her. She hated being such an inconvenience even more than she hated her clumsiness. Yuki honestly didn't mind going around with her though he didn't say this.

"You better go… Its noon," Yuki reminded her.

"Oh! I have to go then! But thank you so much for helping me so much already!" Tohru proclaimed with a bow.

"Don't worry about it. It was fun. You should go. Your little sister is waiting," Yuki replied.

She stalled a bit. Tohru knew she had to get home but her heart didn't seem to want to let her leave just yet. Slowly she bit her lip. It wasn't like she could never see him again. Surly he didn't live too far away. The difficult part would be to find him when she couldn't even leave the palace. This was one of those reasons she hated being a princess, if she was a normal girl then she would most definitely be outside everyday waiting to see him again but she wasn't.

"I'm not sure how yet… But I will repay you for your kindness!" Tohru added before she took a step towards her home.

"You don't have to. I don't need anything. I was glad to help," Yuki responded honestly.

How she wanted to ask him for his address or number or something… But she suddenly felt shyer then usual and decided against it. She didn't even know him that well, he would probably refuse to tell her and call her a stalker or something like that. Then he wouldn't want to meet her again for sure but was it really safe to let chance choose when they saw each other again? Tohru had no other choice, she had to go, all she could do was pray that fate would be nice to her and let her find Yuki soon.

"I have to go. Maybe we'll see each other again! Thank you again!" Tohru said with a smile.

"Maybe…."

_"I hope I see her again anyways… But Tohru has to be the princess of Daichi… She and I knowing each other can't be good… But the rivalry between Kaze and Daichi has nothing to do with us… right?" _ Yuki pondered as he watched her go.


	3. Kisa's Party

Disclaimer: I don't own the splendid Yuki and cast…

Tohru quickly ran inside the castle before anyone noticed her. She dodged everyone, making her way back to her room safely. The brunette leaned against her door to rest for only a brief moment before she got to work. In a matter of minutes she took a quick shower, fixed her hair and changed into a more formal dress without a second of a break. She didn't have the time to spare, she was already late, and it turned out that it was harder than it looked to make herself appear as if she hadn't just been out all morning and was in her room the whole time instead.

Carefully she grabbed the earrings from her cloak pocket and wrapped them in tissue paper. Rummaging around her room for something suitable to place the gift in, she found a small box she had received a bracelet in. That would be fine for the earrings, she was thankful she hadn't tossed the box out. As delicately as she could manage she placed them in a small box, covering it with the lid she tied a red ribbon around it. With a satisfied smile she held onto the box admiring her work.

She swiftly ran down the stairs to the grand hall, where the party was going to be held. After a deep breath, Tohru nervously pushed open the large doors. The one time she had wanted to enter silently the doors had to creak loudly and interrupt the party. Everyone in the room turned to look at her. No one except for her family had suspected that she, Kisa's own sister, wasn't at the party. It wasn't until now did they realize she hadn't been there before. The maids and servants there turned to her and bowed respectfully. Tohru smiled and nodded to them. Kisa's eyes lit up when she saw Tohru.

"Onee-chan!" Kisa cried running over to Tohru.

Kisa gave Tohru a tight hug. Tohru grinned and embraced the small girl happily until she saw Oubasan approach her with an icy look. That one look made her lips curve down and the color diminish from her face. She released the small girl and lowered her head to Oubasan and Hakufu who was behind her. Kisa felt shivers crawl across her back as she hesitantly moved to Tohru's side. Her sister stood there with her head hanging low knowing she was in for a lecture at the least.

"Tohru, where were you? Why are you late? A princess should NEVER be late to any event! What was so important that you felt compelled to have to leave?" Oubasan asked in a harsh cold voice, boiling with anger.

"I'm sorry… I was umm…" Tohru stuttered embarrassedly not sure how to answer. She only had two reasons for not being there and neither of them could she tell to her aunt or uncle. One was getting her gift for Kisa; she couldn't say that and ruin her annual tradition. The second one was more personal, her reluctance to leave Yuki. Either way she'd still be in trouble for sneaking out.

Tohru backed away, a little frightened by her furious tone. No matter how many times she received the lectures from her aunt and uncle they never seemed to get less scary. Kisa was already partially hiding behind Tohru. Being the older sister Tohru found Kisa's hand and gave it a light squeeze trying to calm down the orange haired girl. It wasn't exactly working since she was scared herself. Haru spotted the two of them and walked over.

"Oubasan, don't ruin Kisa's party by yelling," Haru calmly advised her. He had always been the calm one, never intimidated by anything. Well there were those rare occasions when he blew up with held in fury and went into a destructive rage. Those didn't happen often no matter how many scolds he received. Only special incidents got his blood to boil that much. Because of this laid back nature of his, he was the person to save his sisters from these types of scenes.

"Hmph!"

"We'll talk about this later young lady," Hakufu told her.

"Yes Hakufu, Oubasan," Tohru breathed.

They eyed her a second longer before turning their attention back to greeting the guests and chatting amongst others. Haru was right about one thing, they couldn't destroy their reputations by yelling at her in front of everyone. They had worked extremely hard to surpass the high standards left by the former rulers. To have it all thrown out the window was not an option. Tohru let out a sigh of relief, and wiped the sweat droplets from her brow. Kisa peered up at her, slightly confused at why she was so nervous and late.

"Thank you Nii-san!" Tohru whispered to Haru.

"No problem. But what took you so long?"

"I lost track of time…" Tohru mumbled, which was true. The other half she didn't even have the courage to tell them, the two people closest to her. Haru's forehead creased as if he had discovered something in what Tohru said. She didn't notice this change and beamed faintly. He didn't comment on what he saw but in her eyes it was evident that something happened to her when she went out to get Kisa's gift. As of now he couldn't tell what happened exactly, but by looking at her face he could see it wasn't anything bad. In fact it was the complete opposite; her face seemed to be glowing and bursting with joy.

"Be more careful next time," Haru smiled patting her head gently.

"Yes… I will!"

Kisa watched them murmur to each other wondering what they were saying and why they weren't including her. She hated being the youngest especially since they would exclude her like this every so often. Haru and Tohru had almost seemed to forget that she was there for a moment. The small orange hair girl cocked her head to the side observing them before asking, "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing… Tohru, why don't you go put your gift for Kisa on the present's table?" Haru suggested.

Tohru nodded, grateful that Haru had gotten Kisa's attention away from their conversation. She went over to the large table which was nearly covered and stacked up with various presents. Boxes of all different sizes and colors were the focus of the party, besides the food. Kisa followed Tohru anxiously and watched her set the small box on the corner of the table. Her eyes seemed to memorize its location and what the gift looked like.

"What did you get me?" Kisa asked curiously.

"You'll see when you open it!" Tohru replied.

Kisa frowned ever so slightly which made Tohru laugh. She wanted open it now to see what it was. In many ways she was still a child, even though she was a year older as of now. Kisa still had the impatience of a kid, but she didn't try to argue to get the gift because first of all she knew she'd get in trouble, and secondly she knew that Tohru wanted it to be a surprise. Tohru seemed happy that Kisa was willing to wait and stroked the top of her hair gently.

"Do you want to go get food then?" Kisa offered.

"Sure… But don't you want to hang out with your friends?"

Kisa looked down at her feet, a little embarrassed. Tohru gazed at the top of her head, not quite understanding why she was so bashful. She knew they were really close siblings, but she didn't think Kisa would only want to stay around her. There seemed to be plenty of children around about her age. They got to hang out practically everyday so she didn't want to keep Kisa from spending time with kids her age that she didn't get to see very often.

"Oubasan only invited her friends and their children. They… aren't so interesting… All they were talking about was the weather… I was bored……." Kisa answered with a half shrug of her shoulders.

"She didn't let you invite anyone?"

Tohru looked at bit awestruck which helped a smile return to Kisa's face. She always seemed to put everyone else's worries ahead of hers. Kisa beamed brightly now; she didn't need anyone else here besides Tohru anyways. Tohru was her best friend, she knew her best, and cared about her most. She was the one Kisa went to with all her problems, and she was the one who solved them all. Kisa didn't even have any secrets from Tohru, but she wasn't aware of the secret Tohru had.

"No… She asked but I don't have many friends… We aren't allowed to leave the palace anymore… You're my only friend Onee-chan," Kisa muttered.

"That makes me very happy that you consider me your friend!" Tohru exclaimed with a bright beaming smile.

Kisa looked up at Tohru admirably and walked with her to the food booth. Tohru and Kisa stood in line and filled their plates with a few dishes. The line was long, but it helped that Kisa was the birthday girl. A few people stepped aside for her and Tohru so they could get their food first. These people seemed to recognize them since it was Kisa's birthday, but neither Kisa no Tohru knew any of them. It didn't sound like much of a party when the birthday girl knew less than half of the people in the room.

"Where would you like to sit?" Tohru asked after they had gotten what they wanted to eat.

"Uh… Oubasan said we had to go sit with her and Hakufu at the head table… We have no choice… I'm sorry," Kisa informed her softly.

"It's not your fault. Don't worry about it! It's not that bad! Come on," Tohru added optimistically.

Kisa smiled weakly as they walked over to the raised platform where the table rested. Haru was already seated with a half empty plate in front of him. Tohru and Kisa sat beside him. Oubasan and Hakufu sat at across from each other at the ends of the table. The last three seats were occupied by three people who were unfamiliar to Tohru. They had serious expressions on their pale faces. With their jet black hair, it felt like they were in a black and white movie. Tohru and Kisa smiled politely at them bowing their heads in greeting.

"Yes… Tohru, Kisa… These are good friends of ours. The duke, duchess and their son Houka," Oubasan briefly introduced them.

"Hello Kisa hime, Tohru hime. How have you two been?" the young boy who seemed about Kisa's age asked them.

"I've been very well… Thank you," Kisa responded with a light smile.

"It's your birthday. You're turning fourteen, correct?" the older looking woman beside him questioned.

"Yes… I am…"

Kisa was always shy in front of strangers. There weren't too many people out there that she was comfortable talking to. Basically there was Tohru and Haru and that was it. She would be awfully quiet to anyone else. Some people considered it rude, but Kisa never meant to be rude. She was just timid by nature and didn't like to speak very often. Kisa smiled half way to keep them from thinking she was mean or something like that.

"Tohru, you just turned sixteen not too long ago as well, right?" the duke asked her.

"Yes…"

"About time you got married," The duchess commented dully.

"EH?" Tohru gasped.

Her chopsticks fell out of her hands; she almost choked when she heard that. The pair of chopsticks landed on the edge of her plate with a loud clank which made everyone in the room look her way. Tohru peered back at them for only a second before her face burned with embarrassment. Oubasan's eyes showed fury at her improper act in front of her guests. Tohru picked up her chopsticks and looked down at her lap.

"Hush Tohru! That's very un-lady like! Sit up straight too! Don't disgrace us!" scolded Oubasan.

Tohru snapped up in her seat. Quietly she straightened out her dress and fixed her plate arrangement. Kisa did the same, not wanting to get yelled at either. Haru continued to slouch in his seat. Oubasan turned a blind eye to this only due to the fact that he was male. Haru always seemed to be testing her limits. He didn't seem too happy that they wanted to marry Tohru off like that. He wouldn't let them do that to Tohru without a fight.

"We were discussing that already. We are currently searching for a suitable prince for her. Only the best for Tohru," Hakufu announced with a smirk.

"How thoughtful, you must truly care for her. A soon as out daughter turned fifteen we married her off to the first man we saw. Daughters are really useless," the duke mumbled with a cruel glint in his eyes.

"Can't live with them, can't live without them!" joked Hakufu.

They all laughed. But secretly underneath their grins Tohru and Kisa cringed. The meal was filled with more hurtful remarks thrown at Tohru and Kisa. Their pain went on unnoticed or ignored, maybe a bit of both. Haru symphonized with them but knew he wouldn't be able to do anything to help them yet. They barely got through it but soon enough it was time to open the presents. Kisa headed over to the table, grabbing Tohru's gift first. She untied the bow, removing the lid rapidly.

"They are so beautiful!" Kisa cried, holding the earrings up in her hands.

"I'm glad you like them!" Tohru smiled.

"Thank you!" Kisa exclaimed, giving Tohru a sweet embrace.

"You're welcome."

The rest of her gifts were a variety of dresses and jewelry yet none of them could compare to Tohru's present. The lovely gold heart shaped earrings with the diamond in the center had to be her favorite. There was a small dance afterwards but neither of the girls felt up to dancing with any of the guys. Secretly, Tohru wished Yuki was here to ask her to dance with him, but when she realized what she had just wished she felt her cheeks darken. She tried to refrain from thinking about a man she'd most likely never see again. Shortly after the dance the party came to a close. Tiredly Tohru collapsed onto her bed; her head was spinning with thoughts.

"_I wonder what Yuki is doing? I want to see him again… He seems like such a nice person… But... Why wasn't he surprised by the palace? Does he like me at all? Right now I shouldn't be thinking about him… Hakufu is looking for a husband for me… I don't know what to think anymore…" _

Tohru fell asleep her mind going back to Yuki. His face clouded her dreams. Tohru was confounded at how she couldn't seem to get him off of her mind when she had only known him for a day. Sure he was a gorgeous guy, but she felt conceited for liking him for something like looks. What other reason could she like him for? She didn't know a thing about him besides he was nice for driving her home. She shook her head, staring at the clock. It was only seven in the morning and she couldn't sleep. No matter what she did Yuki was on her mind.

"I need some fresh air…" Tohru murmured as she jumped out of bed.

She cracked open the window. Without a look back she climbed out the window quickly. Tohru scampered down the wall and out of the castle grounds. She wandered down the path, with no real direction or goal. All she wanted to do was clear her mind and let life go back to normal. But then again... Would life ever be normal again? She was going to be a wife? No, life would surly never be the same again. If she got married, she'd leave home and never see her brother and sister again. Even worse she'd have to start a family with a man she didn't love.

Tohru hadn't even realized that her feet had taken her to the center of town. She glanced around, slightly taken aback by her surroundings. Was it fate that drew her to the spot where she had met Yuki? When she wasn't looking she felt someone bump into her. Tohru lost her balance, falling backwards only to be caught by a pair of strong arms. She stared blankly ahead trying to piece together what had happened.

"Hey, don't you think you should apologize?" she heard a familiar voice demand.

The person who caught her was a man. And that was all she could pick up from his voice. His voice was delicate and soft but from the low tone there was no doubt that it was male. What bothered her wasn't the gender of this person but why his voice sounded so familiar. He still held her up as she was too stunned to try and get back to her feet. Tohru scanned the crowd that was forming around them in hopes that she'd see Yuki but she didn't see him. She held back a sigh of disappointment. She was slowly growing to hate large amounts of people in one area. Something about them just seemed to scare her, if anyone told Oubasan or Hakufu… She'd be in serious trouble.

"Whaddya mean you PUNK?" she heard the man who had bumped into her holler.

"I mean you bumped into someone… Isn't that something to apologize for?"

Her eyes widened as she saw the large muscular man turn around to face the man behind her. That man looked like he was strong enough to beat up practically anyone he wanted to, and that scared her. She didn't want whoever helped her to die because he was trying to assist her! He seemed to glare for a moment like he was ready to kill, but the anger switched to fear as he choked out, "I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

Tohru's brows scrunched up in confusion. What just happened? Where did the tough murderous guy go? She had to know who this guy who was holding her up was. He had to be pretty remarkable to make a large man like that cower in fear. She glanced up at who caught her for the first time, her jaw dropped and her eyes doubled in size. It couldn't be…

"Yuki?"

"Hmm?"

Tohru's lips curved into a wide grin, it was him. He looked down at her and nearly dropped her. She stared up at his surprised grey eyes. Was this a coincidence or the fault of fate? Whatever it was she was grateful for it. Yuki stared at her in disbelief; he hadn't expected to find her here again. Why here of all places? He didn't mind where he saw her again but a public place like this was just asking for trouble. Anyone could recognize them here and worse, she had just said his name out loud. All he could do was mimic her and say her name back.

"Tohru…"


	4. A Chance of Luck

Family Structure

Haru-Tohru-Kisa (brother-sister-sister)

Hakufu + Oubasan aunt + uncle

Mom + dad DEAD!

Dedicated to Lirael Black! For reasons I told her! .

Yuki sat across from Tohru at a diner table. Their meeting again was completely unexpected, but he couldn't say he didn't come to town half hoping that she'd be out today. Nor could he say that was the only reason he left, the other was of course his _dearly beloved _older brother. Ayame was slowly driving Yuki insane with his absurd ideas of strengthening their brotherly bond. To stay away from Ayame Yuki had slipped out of the palace for some peace and quiet. He shook his head frowning slightly at the thought of Ayame.

Tohru watched Yuki for a while wondering why he was frowning. She instantly assumed he probably upset to see her again. She didn't want to force him to stay here if he didn't want to be here.That wasn't the right thing to do even if she wanted to keep him here. He had a life too and probably had other things to do other than keeping her company. She shouldn't be greedy and make him remain here. In her head she knew she should tell him he could go, but her mouth wouldn't cooperate with her.

They were at a small restaurant close to where he had just saved her. Yuki and Tohru were seated at a booth in the corner of the place. Only a few people were here besides them at the moment. Neither of them seemed to mind since that did keep prying eyes away from them. They hadn't spoken since they got in here, and that small fact was starting to worry Tohru a lot. She didn't want to be such a loathsome bother to him.

_"He DID ask me here though…"_ she tried to reassure herself.

She wondered if she had done something wrong, until she realized that he wasn't exactly focusing on her. Tohru cocked her head to the side trying to find out what he was concentrating on. She couldn't find anything interesting that would make him stare at it; the place was rather simple. To her it seemed like he was staring out into space. He rested his chin on both of his hands, deep in thought. Yuki didn't look like the type of person to space out so his actions conjured up some more worry in Tohru.

A waitress walked up to their table with a small notepad and pen asking, "May I take your order?"

She had curly blond hair that was tied up behind her head. The uniform she wore seemed to be altered to show more skin then it was supposed to. Her eyes were focused on Yuki watching him intently, obviously interested until she saw Tohru. He shook his head and looked up at the waitress disoriented, as if taken back from another world. Yuki cleared his throat and peered at Tohru ignoring the waitress's distaste of Tohru. Tohru stared back at him innocently happy to know that he was back. She had no idea that the waitress wasn't fond of her.

"Do you want anything?" Yuki politely offered to her.

"Eh?"

Tohru looked back down at the menu in front of her indecisively. Her eyes scanned the lists of dishes and appetizers. Yuki watched her eye brows furrow as she tried to make a decision before he lost his patience. She had hardly eaten out before so she didn't recognize any of the choices on the menu. It was a new experience for her, making her excited but all the dishes sounded so foreign to her. He was as clueless as her but had a better way of hiding it.

"How about we start out with drinks if that helps?" The waitress suggested.

"I'll just have a cup of tea…. How about you Tohru-san? Feel free to have whatever you like," Yuki told her with a sweet smile.

"Umm… I'll have tea as well…" Tohru added softly.

The waitress scribbled down their orders and left to get them the drinks. Yuki glanced at Tohru who seemed slightly uncomfortable. She squirmed in her seat feeling a little nervous around him. She hardly knew him yet she wanted to make a good impression so badly. Tohru was clueless in the area of approaching men though and had no idea what to do. He smiled and touched the side of hand. She jumped in her seat too lost in her thoughts to remember where she was.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern coating his words.

She blushed nodding furiously. He withdrew his hand half wondering if she was repulsed by his presence. But if she was, why did she eagerly agree to go eat with him? It was Yuki's turn to be worried about how she felt around him. Tohru bit her lip not noticing that he was watching her. In her head she was trying to figure out why a simple touch from his hand made her so embarrassed and thrilled at the same time.

"Then relax Tohru-san. I won't bite you," Yuki teased her trying to get her to look at him.

"I'm sorry!" She cried apologetically.

As soon as her eyes met his they shot back down to the menu timidly. She hid her face behind the menu. Tohru peeked at him from the side of the booklet dreading that he would get fed up with her and leave. He just leaned to the side and raised his eyebrows at her. Her timid actions reminded him of a child, but at the same time he thought they were cute. His bangs slipped down covering the tops of his eyes. Her cheeks darkened feeling subconscious about how she appeared today.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. Order anything you want. I'll treat you today," Yuki told her generously.

"Ah no! I couldn't possibly do that!!!!" She exclaimed.

Yuki just sat there, not sure how to respond to that. He didn't mind paying; he had more money than he could spend in two lifetimes. She didn't want to waste his money and take advantage of his kindness though. He had already done more than enough for her. Before either of them could say anything else or state their perspectives the waitress came back setting the drinks in front of them. She stood in front of them holding up the notepad once again.

"Still undecided? May I recommend something?"

"Yeah… Sure…"

"The special breakfast entries for today are the sweet rolls. They're real delicious. Would you like them?" She suggested with a crooked grin.

Yuki just nodded, noticing that the rolls were also the most expensive thing on the menu. He remained silent though not bothering to say anything about that. Tohru probably would be even more frantic if she knew that. From what he knew about her so far she would insist against him paying even more than she was now. She was currently looking over the menu trying to find the price of the sweet rolls with no success.

"Is that okay with you Tohru-san?"

She nodded weakly not sure what else to get. It'd be rude of her to refuse after she had agreed to come here. She still felt the need to repay his acts of kindness whether with cash or not. The waitress took the menus from them and left their table once again. There was nothing left for her to hide behind. Tohru picked her napkin up in her hands twisting it around on her lap nervously.

"So…. How are you doing today?" Yuki asked in attempt to calm her down.

"I'm well! How have you been?"

"Alright… How did your sister like the earrings?"

Tohru was startled that he remembered that it was Kisa's birthday let alone what she had gotten for her. Her face softened, settling down. She seemed touched, her face shining warmly. He beamed, glad that he had finally found a topic that made her ease up. So far she seemed pretty simple to please which was convenient for him since he was starting to like to see her happy more than anything.

"She loved them. Thank you…" She breathed happily.

"I'm glad…" Yuki murmured.

A blush rested across her face. She looked away at him down at the table embarrassedly. He was beautiful, kind, generous, and incredibly thoughtful. Tohru couldn't believe he was all of these things. Now she wanted to discover new sides to him, new things she didn't know about him as of now. She wanted to learn about his hobbies, his preferences, dislikes, his pet peeves, and even his faults. She could tell already that faults would be hard to find in someone who appeared so perfect and flawless.

----

Back at the castle Kisa was pacing back and forth across the hallway. She paused in front of Tohru's door. Her hand rose about to knock, she froze shook her head and went back to walking. Haru leaned against the wall, watching the small girl intently. She had gone through the process of pacing, raising her hand to knock, lowering it down, and pacing again ten times already. He had been watching her from her fifth round curious to know what it was that she was doing.

"What are you doing, Kisa?"

"Nii-san! You scared me!" Kisa cried, jumping up in shock.

"What are you doing? So absorbed that you didn't notice me standing here," Haru smiled.

Haru walked over to her waiting for an answer. She looked up at him with large child like eyes not sure what to say. He stood there patiently giving her time to think through her thoughts. Kisa sighed deciding to tell him everything, "I was worried about Onee-chan … She's usually awake and eating breakfast at this time. But she hasn't even left her room yet…"

"Why don't you wake her up?"

"She's been so restless lately. I don't want to ruin her rest if she is sleeping," Kisa answered with a thoughtful smile.

"Just wake her… I'm sure Oubasan will wake her soon anyways. She'll probably give Tohru a lecture about how indecent it is to be asleep at this hour," Haru reminded Kisa.

"Right!"

She hesitantly knocked softly on the large double doors. There was no answer. She knocked louder but the only sound was the quiet echo of her knocks in an empty room. The small girl's bottom lip quivered, her worried eyes fixed on Haru for a solution, but he gave her no further options. His face remained expressionless not showing what he was thinking. He wasn't sure which way they should go around this problem, but he wanted to know why Tohru wasn't in her room as much as Kisa did.

"Just open it…" Haru advised.

"But… She may want her privacy…"

"I have a feeling we should," Haru stated calmly.

Reluctantly she agreed and turned the door knob, finding it carelessly unlocked. She slowly pushed the door in a little afraid to see no one inside. Kisa didn't want to find her sister gone. If she did then there was nothing left to make her believe Tohru didn't have any secrets. Her disappearance would confirm that Tohru did indeed keep things from her. Kisa didn't want to doubt Tohru or question her honesty. That wasn't what sisters and best friends did.

"Onee-chan?" Kisa called as she entered the dark room.

All the windows were covered by the curtains except for the one by her bed, which was left wide open. The brightly colored curtain fluttered from the cool breeze drifting into the bedroom. A square of sunlight streamed through the otherwise black room. Kisa's eyes ran across the neat room widening as she saw the empty bed. Haru followed her inside, but unlike Kisa his face showed none of his feelings or thoughts.

"Like I thought… She's not here…" Haru muttered.

"Where do you think she is? Do you think she was kidnapped???? I have to tell Hakufu and Oubasan!" Kisa cried.

Haru held onto Kisa's thin shoulder not letting her leave the room. Her bright orange eyes peered up at Haru in surprise. He pulled her towards the window and pointed at the rope. She glanced from the rope to Haru's expressionless face not understanding the situation. Kisa hadn't even seen the rope which was partially hidden behind the curtain. It was knotted to a leg of Tohru's bed. Kisa looked shocked that Haru had seen that and she hadn't when she was in the room longer than him.

"Kisa, calm down. See this rope? She snuck out," Haru concluded.

"But…. Why would she sneak out?"

"I don't know but we can ask her about it when she comes back. For now we'll help her by keeping it a secret," Haru added.

Kisa looked at the rope again before agreeing with Haru. She'd do anything for Tohru, even if she was keeping something from her. She had to believe that Tohru had a reason for wanting to keep it a secret. Until Tohru confided in them with the reason she'd do all she could to help even if all she could do was keep silent about her disappearance. Kisa just hoped that Tohru would one day tell her what this was all about.

"Okay… If you say so…"

----

"It was good, wasn't it?" Yuki asked pushing aside his empty plate.

Tohru nodded and breathed in. It was good she had to admit, but now that they were done eating there wasn't really anything else keeping him from leaving now. She chewed her bottom lip fumbling with the edge of the table cloth. She didn't want him to go until she was sure there was a way for her to contact him. Slowly she glanced up at him, her nervousness showing once again in her eyes. Yuki gazed at her, genuinely concerned, "Tohru are you-."

"YukicanIseeyouagain?" Tohru asked in one breath.

Yuki started to laugh. Her face grew darker with every passing second. She didn't want him to laugh let alone refuse. Tohru's brows furrowed with sadness as he laid his head over his arms in a fit of laughter. Was he laughing at her because he thought the idea was ridiculous? Yuki gazed up at her apologizing for laughing at her. He tried to stop laughing so he could explain what he thought before he offended her.

"I'm sorry… You just looked so serious…. And honestly… I was about to ask you if you were available this weekend," he choked out as he attempted to stifle his laughter.

Tohru looked down blushing darkly. He took a deep breath and straightened out his shirt creases. Yuki brushed a few of his bangs aside calmly facing her again. She could barely face him yet she had just asked him to see her again. Tohru swallowed with much effort and tried to regain her composure before she made a fool out of herself again. He looked at her with a smile glad to hear she wanted to see him as much as he wanted to see her.

"Do you have a cell phone?" he asked.

"Yes… Why?" she replied.

"Can I see it?"

She pulled out the small phone from her back pocket and gave it to him. He took it from her flipping it open and scanning the contents of the front screen. It appeared to be a picture of her and her siblings. Tohru looked extremely happy between the two people. He grinned; everything from the pink phone to the screen of the phone suited her personality perfectly. Tohru faced her hands, starting to think her phone was rather childish.

"Have you ever set up your speed dial?"

"Ah…. No…"

He nodded and fiddled with the buttons and pulled out a similar black phone, pressing a few buttons on it as well. She watched him carefully during the whole process wondering what he was doing. Yuki smiled and handed the phone back to her. She cradled it in her palm curious to know what he did. He slipped the phone back into his pocket happy to know that now they both had each other's phone numbers.

"Press one and you can reach me."

"Thank you Yuki-san!" Tohru exclaimed happily.

He grinned; she was twice as beautiful when she smiled like that. That was something he took note of. The smile he'd grow to adore and cherish to the point when he would be willing to do anything to see it again. Yuki wished he had brought a camera now so that he could capture her bright and joyful face. Maybe then, he'd get enough of that delightful smile. But even with that smile on her face, something about what she said bothered him.

"You don't have to be so formal Tohru-san. No need to call me Yuki-san."

Being royal came with the highest respect. But all the formality did get tiring over time. The people he cared about should at least be able to talk at ease with him, right? At least later she'd become the one he cared for most. But to get to the point, she couldn't treat him as everyone else did. He didn't want her thrown in with everyone else; she stood out from the rest to him so she should call him with some sense of familiarity.

"Yuki-kun?" she tried shyly.

"Nn?"

"If I call you Yuki then will you call me Tohru?"

"If that is your desire Tohru…" Yuki responded awkwardly.

Tohru beamed happily adding, "I feel like we just became closer friends!"

"I agree…"

Friends? Something about that term didn't quite seem to fit what either of them felt. Was that even a possibility when sparks ignited between them? He didn't like the sound of that term to describe them yet he didn't know why he detested it. He kept a smile on his face though. If that's what she wanted, then he would be fine with it, as long as she continued to smile. That's what mattered right? That she was happy, he'd be content just as long as she was smiling and around him regardless of what she made of their relationship.

rnnnnnnnnnnnng rnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng

"I'm sorry…" Yuki mouthed to her.

Yuki pulled out his cell phone. He looked at her with apologetic eyes after listening to whatever the caller had to say and mumbling into the receiver, "Yes…. I'll be there soon…. Well you can distract her for half an hour can't you...? Thanks Nii-san…"

It was obvious without him even having to tell her directly that he had to leave. But he said it anyways. Perhaps… If he did, then time would stop and he could stay there with her forever or at least a little while longer. Time didn't stop though… Love didn't work that way, at least not yet. The world didn't cut them any slack, it continued to move, people going on with their lives not caring that true love was being formed between the couple.

"I have to go… I'm sorry…" He breathed, a hint of sadness smothering his words.

"It's no problem! I'm just glad I got to see you again! Umm… This is last minute so it's my fault!" Tohru rambled embarrassedly.

"I'll pay and I'll call you later… Bye..."

Yuki gave her a quick smile and pulled out several bills. He tossed them on a table and stood there for a brief second before giving her a short bow. In a flash he was gone. Tohru sat there for a minute before standing up slightly depressed. She was with him a second ago but now it seemed so far away… The waitress waltzed over and almost fell backwards on her heels when she saw the money. Tohru glanced up at her slightly confused.

"Is something the matter?" Tohru asked.

"Miss… He paid way too much for this…" the waitress spoke in disbelief.

Tohru peered at the table for the first time looking at the money. Yuki had indeed paid more then necessary. More then triple how much the meal had actually cost. He must have been in such a hurry that he didn't realize. She bit her lip in worry; it was all her fault that he had left so much extra money. If she hadn't agreed to go eat with him, then he'd still have the money. She was responsible and now needed to get the cash back to him.

"Umm… Let me call him…" Tohru muttered taken aback.

Shakily she pulled out her phone remembering what he had told her before and pressed one. Tohru took a deep breath a bit flustered to be calling him for the first time only minutes after he gave her his number. She hoped he picked up; she wouldn't know what to do with the money otherwise. The phone rang three times before a breathless Yuki picked up the phone answering with a surprised voice, "Hello Tohru?"

"Yuki-kun, you paid too much for the meal!" she informed him almost embarrassedly.

"Oh… Is that so? I didn't know. How much did I leave?" He asked curiously.

"More then triple the price of the meal…" Tohru murmured.

"Well… I'll let you decide what to do… You can keep it or give it to the waitress as an extra large tip… I don't mind. You may do what you wish but I have to go," he quickly told her before hanging up.

Tohru paused for a second before pushing the money to the waitress. He didn't seem to worry much about money. Who was he? She didn't have to worry about paying for things because she was a princess, but what about him? This made her realize how little she actually knew about him. She wanted to know more about this mysterious Yuki until she was bursting with information about him.

"Think of it as a tip… Thank you!" Tohru bowed briskly before rushing out of the restaurant and back home. She snuck back in without drawing much attention to herself besides tripping over the last step of the stairs. Maybe with more outings she'd get better at getting in and out without so much noise and pain. Tohru sat up on top of the stairs rubbing her knees hating her clumsiness, but at least no one noticed. She clamored nosily to her room, bumping into tables and walls before she finally reached her bed and fell asleep.

Tohru woke up groggily to the ringing of her cell phone. She hadn't even realized that she had fallen asleep until she had awakened. She grabbed her cell phone from her nightstand and greeted the caller tiredly, not bothering to check who it was. Glancing around her now dark room she realized it was pretty late. Nobody ever called her; her cell phone was for emergencies like when she got lost. Who'd be calling her this late?

"Hello…?" she started sleep evident in her voice.

"Hello Tohru… I'm sorry… Were you sleeping?" Yuki apologized earnestly.

"It's alright Yuki-kun…"

"I just wanted to make sure you got back safely."

She perked up. Yuki was already such a perfect guy yet now he was considerate enough to check up on her. Tohru sat up on her bed grateful that she had the chance to know him. Most guys wouldn't even remember to call back the next day. But here he was on the phone with her before the day was over. Tohru grinned widely happy to hear his voice for the third time today.

"Oh I'm fine!"

"That's good to hear… I'm sorry I couldn't walk you back home…"

"No! It's no problem at all!"

He was just like a prince. Sweet, caring and gentle… She hadn't even thought about the possibility of having him walk her home. Nobody beside a guard did that. But then again she didn't have much experience with men. Tohru sat upright feeling like a schoolgirl who was madly in love. She could imagine him as her boyfriend, and she could picture herself sitting by her phone for hours anxiously awaiting a call from him. Being his girlfriend would be a dream come true.

"If you're alright then I can't talk for much longer…"

"Okay… I wouldn't want to keep you waiting… Can you call me back later when you're not busy?" Tohru requested hopefully.

"Of course… If you want me to…"

"I do…"

"Then I'll call you as soon as I can…"

"Thank you…"

Tohru hit the end key and flopped back down on her bed. Half of her wanted to jump up and down screaming out of joy but she contained herself. Haru and Kisa most definitely would think she was crazy. Instead she hugged her pillow tightly against her chest. Not only had she gotten to see Yuki again but she had gotten his number. She couldn't help but hide her face in the soft white feathered mass and scream letting the pillow muffle the noise.

"_I'll pay and I'll call you alter!" _my lil typo that I found rather interesting….


	5. Talking the Night Away

It was night time. Tohru sat on her bed with her knees to her chest. A small lamp on her nightstand was the only thing that lit up the room. Her lips curved up into a smile as she giggled softly into the phone. She glanced around the dark room fearing that someone had heard her. The only response she got was the distant chirping from crickets. With a silent sigh she went back to listening to what Yuki was saying to her. She listened careful trying to catch up with their conversation, but he asked her a question before she understood anything. She cursed herself for not fully paying attention.

"How does that sound to you?"

"Eh?"

"Thank you for listening to me," Yuki teased her, his smile going by unseen.

"I'm sorry!" she cried embarrassedly into the phone.

"I was teasing you."

She didn't say anything a dark blush lingering on her cheeks. Yuki grinned on the other side, the fact that she was blushing was obvious even without him having to see her. He felt cruel; making her blush was growing into a hobby of his. She looked adorable with a shade of red on her cheeks; it suited her as well as a large grin. He loved both looks. Tohru was oblivious to this, as usual. He repositioned himself on the armchair he had in his bedroom glancing around the still night air.

"I was asking you if Saturday morning was a good time to meet…." Yuki repeated himself.

"Oh! That'd be perfect… Where would you like to meet?" Tohru responded her excitement made clear through the phone.

"Anywhere will be fine…. I'll find you… Wherever you may be…" Yuki smiled.

"Bu-but that's so inconvenient for you!" Tohru exclaimed.

He simply smiled. What else could he say? He didn't know the town well enough to have a meeting place. Discreetly he was saving himself from ending up lost and having to come up with some sort of excuse. Besides, it'd be fun to find her. It'd be like a test, to see how drawn he really was to her. Tohru wasn't the type to argue and didn't try this time. She knew him well enough to know that she would lose anyways. Neither of the two had anything to say now, an awkward silence resting between them.

"Can I ask you something?" Yuki asked, breaking the stillness.

"What is it?"

"Don't take this the wrong way but why are you talking on the phone with a complete stranger and agreeing to meet again?" Yuki breathed into the phone.

Tohru paused not sure how to respond. She didn't have an answer to that. It just felt right. But he'd think she was crazy if she said that. Yuki was quiet on the other end, regretting asking her that. Maybe she just pitied him, that'd end up being real embarrassing. There were many different reasons for her talking to him on the phone and such that he had come up with on his own, but he didn't want to guess he wanted the truth. He realized it would be a hard question to answer, but he wanted to know why; his curiosity had gotten the best of him. There was no taking back those words now.

"…Yuki… Why did you give your phone number to a complete stranger and offer to meet again?" Tohru asked back.

"…I asked you first," Yuki replied.

Maybe if she answered first it'd give him more time to think. Why did he give her his number and ask her to meet him again? That wasn't like him. Usually he avoided any meetings with females as much as possible since they usually liked him for his money and royalty. He had never thought he'd be asking a girl out and a girl he hardly knew for that matter. All his life he just thought his mother would find a wife for him, but now he wasn't sure he wanted that. No, now he was positive he didn't want that.

"I'm not sure… I think… Because I feel like I've known you all my life…" Tohru shyly responded.

Yuki froze. His silence went on a bit too long making Tohru feel uncomfortable. The only way she knew he was still there was from his slow breaths every once in a while. She shifted in her spot. Had she said something that offended him? That'd be horrible. Yuki drew in a deep breath long enough to make her think he was preparing to tell her off and hang up. Tohru clutched the phone tightly in her hands, praying he wouldn't do anything like that. Had her response not satisfy him and tell him what he wanted to know? It was the truth though, if he wanted more, she'd have nothing else to say.

"Yuki? Are you there? I'm sorry! I probably wasn't making any sense!" Tohru frantically exclaimed.

"No… It's okay… And to answer your question, I think I feel the same way. But I'm not trying to copy what you said; I just trust you, I guess is what I'm trying to say…" Yuki added.

Tohru felt a blush creep up onto her cheeks. She hadn't expected him to say something so sincere and considerate. Her mouth opened to speak, but she stopped when she heard a door open and a woman's voice speak on the other end. Yuki was talking but it didn't sound like he was talking to her. His voice was softer as if he had covered the receiver with his hand. If she was completely quiet and didn't move she could make out what they were saying. Eavesdropping was wrong but she couldn't help but be curious. She wanted to know who he was talking to and about what.

"Yuki, Ayame wants to see you."

"Why? What for?"

Ayame? Isn't that a girl's name? _His girlfriend?_ Tohru guessed, as she pressed her ear against the phone to hear his conversation better. She could hear footsteps, someone walking in heels? Was this Ayame coming to see him instead? Subconsciously she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out to him. She wanted him to speak with her once more. More specifically to tell her he didn't have a girlfriend and wanted her to be his. Maybe that was asking for too much, but at least she wanted him to tell her this Ayame person wasn't his girlfriend.

"Who are you talking to?" a malicious voice cooed.

She gasped lightly, afraid of what he was going to say. Tohru wanted to hear how he would describe her, but at the same time she didn't want to know. If he made her out as a good person, then she would want to know, but there was the chance that he would say bad things about her. He could easily point out that he was speaking with a clumsy and spacey girl he met a few days ago. That would be bad; she didn't want to hear that come out of his mouth after she had only thought about him for the last few days. In a couple of days he had effortlessly become the world to her.

"Nobody important," Yuki's replied nonchalantly.

She was speechless. His voice was cool and collected, it didn't seem to bother him one bit to say things like this. Tohru clung to the phone desperately hoping that she was just hearing things. His voice was barely audible to her. But why did the words of someone she hardly knew hurt her so deep inside? Tohru couldn't listen anymore, she couldn't handle it. She didn't want to know anymore, her fingers trembled as she ended the call. The phone slipped out of her hands, dropping onto the bed. Tears started to trail down her pale cheeks. With weak fingers she gripped her bed sheets, unable to stop crying. Tohru pressed her face against the pillow not understanding why she was crying over what a person she hardly knew said about her.

----

Yuki let out a sigh of relief. His mother had finally left him alone without prying too much about him actually using his cell phone. Before it was pretty rare to see him carrying it around let alone use it, but now he had a reason to have his cell phone, Tohru. He looked down at the device laying half hidden by his hand, praying that she hadn't heard any of that. Yuki placed the phone to his ear only to be greeted by the sound of the dial tone. Had he made her wait too long without saying a thing to her or was she repulsed by the things he had said? Without another thought he hit redial, if she was mad the least he could do was try and explain things to her. He didn't want her to have a bad impression of him, even if this was the last time they spoke.

----

Tohru stared at the phone letting it ring waiting for him to hang up. She knew it was Yuki. Nobody else would bother to call her; she didn't even know anyone else outside of the palace. The rings silenced as her answering machine picked up. No message was left. Maybe it was rude not to take his calls… Tohru sat up in her bed wiping the tears from her eyes and picked up the phone. She felt bad already, after a sniffle she picked up the phone to call him back. Before she could dial a single number it began ringing again. Slowly she took the call hearing her voice crack as she greeted him feebly. Tohru didn't want to let him know she had cried, but there was no way she could hide it. Her voice made it too obvious but she made an attempt nonetheless. At least he couldn't see her red eyes and disheveled hair.

"Tohru, were you crying…?" Genuinely distressed words flowed from his mouth and into her ear.

"No…" she lied placing her hand over her mouth to hush her hiccup.

"Yes, you were… Is it because of me?" he asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Tear drops pricked her skin as they made their way down once again. They flowed as endless rivers, dropping onto her bed sheet and skirt leaving dark circles. Why was she so incapable of controlling her emotions? She shook her head, even though he couldn't see. A small sob escaped her lips; she didn't try to cover it up anymore. He knew, what was the point? Tohru covered her mouth for a second trying to catch her breath. Yuki let her calm down before he continued, "Was it because of what I said?"

She swallowed, her head bobbing up and down. Tohru didn't want to speak in her teary voice. She hadn't thought about how she'd sound, she couldn't hang up on him again though. Yuki understood her answer anyways. He was sympathetic giving her some time to regain her breath. Tohru wiped her arm across her face attempting to stop the tears. They slowed down, but her eyes were still watery. She hoped he didn't think she was weird for crying; she thought it was strange herself, but the tears still came.

"I… I do-don't know why…. But it hu-hurt, Yuki-kun…. My heart hurts real bad… I don't mean to sound crazy or obsessive b-but that's the truth…" she breathed delicately.

"It's not true though… I just said you were… nobody… to get my mother out of my neck…" Yuki responded with a half smile.

"That was yo-your mom? Y-you don't have a girlfriend?" Tohru choked out before she realized what she had asked.

Tohru clasped her hand over her mouth, gasping loudly making Yuki laugh. He fell back onto his chair with a thud struggling to speak. She didn't mean to ask that aloud. It was just a passing thought, something not meant to reach his ears. Her jaw hung open with horror as her question replayed in her head a total of ten times. Each time she heard it the worse it sounded to her. She chewed on the inside of her mouth and twisted her hair around her finger anxiously praying that she hadn't offended him with her question. Tohru hoped she hadn't overstepped his personal boundaries.

"No-no…. I'm afraid not…" he answered a smile spreading across his face.

"Oh!"

Her voice was filled with unintentional cheer. Now he really would think she was insane or something like that. Either that or he would think she had a crush on him for sounding so happy over the fact that he had no girlfriend. That was half true, she couldn't stop thinking about the guy, but there were some things she just didn't want him to discover just yet like her crush for starters. She probably didn't realize just how happy she sounded; it was just another innocent quality of hers that Yuki thought was adorable. Tohru was a pure white angel something he never was or ever could ever be. That was just another thing he had to admire about her. Somehow, he wanted to be like her a bit. He had the feeling that she always looked on the bright side of things, unable to see the darker side while he was perfectly aware of the bad things in his life. Naïveté was a gift she was blessed with.

"You don't need to sound so happy about that…" Yuki said in a fake hurt voice, feeling evil for toying with her again. He knew she'd apologize like it was the end of the world and he was correct. As soon as she heard those words she went into an apologizing fit. She sounded so honest it made him feel guilty inside. Quickly he stopped her from saying sorry by apologizing himself. That caught her off guard and kept her silent long enough to let him ask what she had previously asked. He was pretty sure he knew the answer but he wanted to hear it come out of her mouth so he knew he wasn't just assuming things.

"You don't have a lover yourself… Do you?"

"No…" Tohru shyly replied.

"So should I start apologizing now too?"

"No, that's okay!" Tohru giggled, her face shining with happiness once again. That smile just seemed to grow bigger when she was talking to him. A smile only he seemed to be able to bring out. Her joy was climbing up and out of her throat, seeping out of her. She was overflowing with happiness and that was made clear in everything she said. The tears and sadness from a few minutes ago were quickly replaced with a grin and pure bliss.

"So I'll see you Saturday morning?"

"Yes…"

Now began the treacherous wait until she got to see him next. But at least now, she was sure she would see him unlike the first time she met him. Back then she was relying on fate to bring them back, but now he had told her he would see her again. Phone numbers were incredible things these days, and she was glad she had his. She could already tell this week would be filled with calls back and forth between them. His voice was something she wasn't sure she could last without hearing. He had no idea how big a role he now had in her life. Yuki was now the source of her joy that kept her running.


	6. Intruder of his Haven

-kou : prince ; -hime : Princess

Tohru decided to wake up early so it would be less likely for her to get caught. She had set the alarm last night to wake her at six am, that's when she ended up waking up. To her dismay she had been clever enough to leave the clock across the room from her bed last night. _No, snooze button today… _The sun had barely raised, still a faint golden circle behind the horizon.In about an hour she finished taking a bath, getting dressed in a simple beige dress and tying a matching bow in her long brown locks. Quietly she poked her head out her bedroom door peering down the empty hallway. She let out a deep breath and shut the door locking it behind her. Tohru swung open the windows and climbed down the rope with more grace this time.

She ran down the path with overflowing energy. Tohru hadn't even realized how fast she was going until she stumbled upon the sidewalk of the town. Her bright brown eyes scanned the market areas looking for a certain someone within the growing crowds.

_"Is he here yet? I don't see him… I hope he gets here soon! I want to stay with him for as long as possible… But that'll be hard when I have to be back before lunch…" _Tohru thought to herself as she sat down under a tall tree on the edge of town.

------------------------ 

"Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuki!" a voice sang full of glee and cheer. Footsteps stopped at the edge of Yuki's haven of a bed. Whoever was disturbing him from his peaceful slumber was going to pay. Yuki threw a pillow at the intruder hitting him directly in the face. He rolled over in his bed muttering, "Shut up…"

The pillow slid off the long haired man dropping to the floor. He picked it up setting it back onto Yuki's bed with a small frown. That man could be no other then Yuki's brother. Twenty seven year old Ayame Sohma, the tailor of the palace. Ayame was a tall man with long silver hair. He was one of those people who just demanded attention, something Yuki never gave to him.

"But it's eight….."

Those three words that slipped out of his mouth made Yuki jump up. He scrambled out of his bed grasping his alarm clock in disbelief. It couldn't be this late already! His hair was a mess; his silver bangs covered his eyes in disarray, his shirt only half buttoned. Ayame stared at Yuki startled. This was the first time he had ever seen Yuki in such a panicked state.

"What's wrong little brother? Did you have something planned today?" Ayame asked cocking his head to the side.

"That's none of your business, now get out. Go back to your own room," Yuki ordered running his fingers through his sloppy hair. When Ayame didn't budge Yuki pointed to the door, a hint of anger glinting in his grey eyes.

"Ah! The gods are smiling down upon me for my little brother has nothing to do! It'd be a shame if we let it go to waste without deepening our bond!" Ayame cooed excitedly rambling on about nonsense. He jumped around dancing around the room like a five year old kid on Christmas.

"Are you even listening? I said GET OUT!" Yuki repeated his patience on the brink of breaking.

"Now Yuki, don't be shy! We shall spend this glorious day together side by side! I will even sacrifice myself to you, doing whatever you may ask! Only three people in the world are capable of such brotherly love and I of course am number one!" Ayame told Yuki placing his hand to his heart.

Yuki's eyes widened at this signaling his interest.

"So… You'll do anything I tell you to?"

"Of course! My dear brother, shall I rush and complete a new suit for you?" Ayame offered waving his hands around as he described his thoughts on how the clothes would look. Yuki rolled his eyes at his self centered brother.

"All I want is for you to get out," replied Yuki shoving Ayame out of his room and slamming the door shut. Ayame fell outside in the hall looking back at the door dumbfounded by Yuki's actions.

Yuki sighed, pushing his hair out of his eyes. He walked to his bathroom splashing water over his tired face. His hands reached out in the direction of a towel, finding someone handing it to him. Yuki dried his face before looking at Ayame with fury. Did he even understand the concept of space and when he was invading his, which was probably every second of his life?

"Would you like me to assist you with such a gruesome task, little brother?" Ayame suggested standing in the bathroom with him. In his arms he held another towel, a tooth brush, tooth paste and the scariest thing a rubber duckie. Yuki didn't even want to find out what that was for but one thing was for sure, if Ayame wanted to bathe him like a mere child he was going to slaughter him.

"I thought I told you to get out…"

"Ah…. Dearest brother there was but one problem with your request… You see when you told me to get out you never restricted me from opening the door and coming back in so therefore-!" Ayame started.

Before he could finish Yuki slammed the door in his face. He slumped down against the door his hands gripping the front ends of his hair tightly. _"How am I supposed to get out now? At this rate I won't be there any earlier then nine… I hope Tohru isn't waiting too long…"_

"Yuki! Little brother!" Ayame cried pounding against the door.

"Just leave me alone…"

_"THIS is probably the reason why he's not going to be the heir to the throne… He can't act mature for a single minute…" _

There was silence then the soft thud of a door shutting. Yuki opened the bathroom door sticking his head to look around the empty room. Ayame was nowhere to be found. He hesitantly walked out expecting Ayame to jump out and attack him with more idiotic words but he didn't. Yuki even checked places he could have been hiding.

"He actually left…" Yuki let out a sigh of relief.

"Of course I did! I told you I shall obey your every command! I cannot fail you as your role model!" Ayame's muffled voice could be heard through the door. Yuki jumped back in surprise.

"Leaning against my door and eaves-dropping is NOT leaving me alone!" Yuki yelled.

Yuki couldn't make out what he said next but there was stillness afterward. He concluded that Ayame actually left. Quickly he took a short shower and got dressed. Without even properly drying himself off he locked the door and snuck off the palace grounds in an instant. Yuki climbed up the wall surrounding the castle and jumped off at an incredibly fast pace. He bolted down the road. The wind whipped at his face, blowing the water out of his hair. It wasn't until he was nearly halfway to town did he consider the possibility of using a vehicle of some sort. But it was too late to go back now; he had run too far to turn around. All that was left to do was to keep going forward and pray that Tohru was still there.

He slowed down to a jog when he reached town. His eyes ran across the people loitering around. There were so many people standing about, it was difficult to find the one person he wanted. Yuki was beginning to regret not coming up with a meeting place. Sighing he walked up to a middle aged man in the middle of the street asking, "Have you seen a dark haired girl with beautiful brown eyes?"

"Yuki-kou! Su-Such an honor!" exclaimed the man dropping to his knees. A crowd started to gather around Yuki. Seeing the man bowing drew a lot of attention from every single bystander. Now everyone was whispering, "Yuki-kou…"

At least without them scattered around he could check to see where Tohru was. Girls were getting obnoxiously close to him, blushing and trying to get his attention. Yuki spotted Tohru sitting against a tree, resting in the cool shade. It didn't look like she noticed him amongst the crowd. He pushed his way through the crowd muttering, "Excuse me…"

"Yuki-kou!" the girls whined.

"I'm sorry. I'm meeting someone…" Yuki apologized though deep inside he wasn't sorry at all.

The girls pouted and frowned but Yuki ignored them. The crowd slowly dispatched. Yuki made his way over to Tohru. Her eyes lit up brightly when she saw him. She smiled and waved excitedly. He returned the smile, lifting his hand in a small greeting. Tohru had a relieved expression on her face, glad that he had come and that he wasn't harmed in anyway.

"Good morning Yuki-kun!" She greeted him happily.

"Good morning… I'm sorry… Have you been waiting long?" Yuki asked stopping in front of her. She moved aside allowing him some space on the grass. He dropped down next to her tiredly. Tohru turned around to face him still grinning widely.

"Not at all… But I was starting to wonder where you were though…" Tohru added trailing off.

"I overslept…" Yuki smiled sheepishly.

"I never imagined you to be a late sleeper!" Tohru giggled. Yuki peered over at her with a fake look of offense. She looked up at him, the only effect his face was having was making her laugh more. He smiled, no one had ever told him anything like that before. Everything said to him was always some sort of overdone compliment. Her honestly and bluntness was something new to him, something he already started to enjoy.

"And why is that?"

Tohru shrugged managing to stop laughing.

"You're lucky I like you or I can get very angry," Yuki teased her. Tohru looked away from him trying to hide her dark cheeks. He saw her blush anyways but decided not to comment for her sake.

_"He likes me…?"_

"What do you want to do Yuki-kun?" Tohru asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter… I just wanted to see you…"

She stared at him, his words slowly sinking in. When people asked to meet them they usually wanted to see you but this was the first time someone outside of her family had asked her to. Let alone say that's what they wanted so easily. He looked at her and smiled wondering if he had been too straight forward. Her beaming face didn't show any signs of awkwardness. Yuki extended his hand to her, to which she could only stare.

"Come on… I want to show you something…"

Happy Valentines Day! –hugs and kisses-

Yay! I've actually been working on this (the hand written part that is!) 350 pages! Maybe it'll end on page 400… big twist later on that you may be able to guess if you read CAREFULLY! . review!


	7. His Surprise Her Reaction

Kisa walked around the bright gardens that surrounded the castle. Every once in a while she would pause and glance up the walls at the window of Tohru's room. Her sister wasn't here today as well, this was starting to worry her but Haru told her not to. Without Tohru around she was also bored with no one to talk to or play with. She paced around until she heard soft murmurs of talking starting to grow louder along with footsteps. Kisa instantly hid behind the thick trees, she would rather be alone at this moment. The voices got stronger and clearer. She placed her hands over her ears so she wouldn't eavesdrop but she couldn't help but overhear and recognize them as Oubasan and Hakufu.

"Those Fuyus are getting on my nerves! Who do they think they are? Talking to us like that, how disrespectful!" Oubasan snapped.

"Honey, are you still talking about this? That was quite some time ago..." he reminded her.

"Dear, how can you expect me to forget those hurtful things they spurred at us?" She replied a little calmer.

"They do have a point though. I think it's about time for us to find a fiancée for Tohru. Anyone will do, except for _him_," Hakufu added.

Oubasan nodded readily agreeing with him. Kisa stuck her head out a few inches watching Hakufu smile coldly. She shrunk back not wanting them to catch her and punish her for listening. Originally she didn't plan to but they were talking about her sister. Tohru would want to hear about this, she was positive that her sister wouldn't like the fact that they were bringing the topic of an arranged marriage up again.

"Yes, we'll go talk to her about that immediately," Oubasan complied easily.

"I haven't seen her all morning though…" muttered Hakufu.

"Neither have I… We'll just have to wake her up! How indecent, sleeping at this hour!" Oubasan cried with a disgusted face.

Kisa gasped. If Oubasan and Hakufu went to see Tohru, they'd learn she wasn't here. She bit her lip not sure how to help. Tohru needed her to keep them from finding out, she must be doing something important or why would she bother leaving home? Haru had to help her cover up for Tohru. Oubasan turned her way, staring at the tree.

"What's wrong?" Hakufu asked.

"I though I heard someone just now…" Oubasan answered taking a step towards the tree.

Kisa held her breath her eyes wide from fear. She pushed herself against the tree pulling her legs as close to her chest as possible. Silently she prayed that they would just walk on and ignore it. Oubasan scanned the trees with a pair of menacing eyes. Even though Kisa couldn't see her eyes she still felt the piercing chill through her body.

"It must be the wind…" mumbled Hakufu.

"Let's go then..."

As soon as they were out of sight Kisa ran off to find Haru for help. She found him after running all around talking to a servant who was milking cows. Kisa grabbed his hand urgently. He looked down at her perplexed. The servant immediately stood when he saw her. Haru looked down at the orange haired girl waiting for her to say something.

"Nii-san! Trouble!!!" Kisa exclaimed peering up at him with troubled eyes.

"Kisa-hime," The guard greeted her with a respectful bow.

"Sorry! I have to borrow Nii-san now!" Kisa apologized pulling Haru off with her.

Kisa held his hand dashing off to the castle before he could get in a word. He pulled back slightly wanting an explanation. She felt him stop and turned around a little impatient which was quite unusual coming from the shy girl. Haru lifted an eyebrow at her wondering what has gotten into her. It had to be something concerning Tohru, he figured that much by past experiences.

"Kisa, do you want to explain this?"

"Onee-chan needs our help! Oubasan and Hakufu want to talk to her!" Kisa choked out breathlessly.

Haru was running with her now asking, "What are you planning to do?"

"I don't know…" Kisa murmured freezing in her steps.

"Well then, how do you expect to help her?"

Kisa looked down at her feet blushing embarrassedly. Haru patted her head sympathetically. She looked up at him cocking her head to the side. He smiled quickly coming up with an effective plan inside of his head. Kisa didn't know what he was thinking officially confused at how calm he was. If they didn't get there soon Tohru would be in deep trouble when she got back.

"Go distract them for a bit and I'll be right back!" Haru instructed as he ran off in another direction.

"Wait! Nii-san!" called Kisa.

Haru spun around smiling, "Trust me!"

"Great… Not I'm alone…" Kisa mumbled as she took the stairs two at a time up to Tohru's room.

Oubasan and Hakufu were already standing in front of the double doors to Tohru's room. Kisa ran in front of them, throwing herself before the doors without another thought. She panted tiredly not sure what to say to them now. They were giving her odd looks at this moment. Kisa took a deep breath trying to appear strong before them.

"Kisa! What is the meaning of this?!" shrieked Oubasan.

"Y-you ca-can't go in th-there!" Kisa struggled to say in between breaths.

"And why is that?" Hakufu asked.

"Um… Because… umm…"

Hakufu and Oubasan stood there glaring at her with cold eyes waiting for a valid answer. She bit her lip nervously. Their looks seemed to order her to move aside but Kisa wouldn't budge. Kisa's head went blank; she hoped Haru would put his plan into action soon. Coincidentally the white haired man arrived in the nick of time. He limped over, his face ghostly pale. Oubasan and Hakufu watched their nephew come over forgetting about Kisa and Tohru.

"Hakufu… Oubasan… I don't feel well…" Haru stated stumbling to them and collapsing on the ground.

"Haru! What Is the matter?" Hakufu asked.

"I ca-can't bre-breathe…" Haru muttered grasping his neck in his hands.

"EEK! I'll go get the doctor!" Oubasan yelled before she ran off.

Hakufu followed her down to the stairs to find their doctor. Kisa's eyes widened staring at Haru with worry. Had he gotten sick just now? He turned over and winked at her. She sighed with relief realizing that this was his plan all along. Kisa slid down to the floor with a smile. Tohru's secret was safe for now.

------------------

"Just a little further," Yuki encouraged her guiding Tohru through the thick forest.

Tohru followed close behind holding his hand to make sure she didn't fall behind and get lost. She looked around side to side at the small creatures scurrying around. Tohru pointed out each one of them with an adorable grin on her face. Shade was covering them provided by the tall trees. Signs of the early morning still show from the misty, dank air. A cool wet droplet slid off a leaf in a high tree landing on Tohru's arm. She let out a shriek jumping up and falling forward. Yuki spun around catching her in his arms.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked her worriedly.

"Yes… Something cold landed on me…" Tohru murmured staring up at his face. She felt her cheeks turn a light pink feeling bashful. Yuki held onto her securely not letting her ever touch the ground.

"You mean a dew drop?" laughed Yuki as he helped her back to her feet.

"It just startled me is all…" Tohru admitted.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't be laughing… Will you ever forgive me?"

"Hmm… I'll have to think about that…" Tohru smiled in a teasing tone.

"Do I have to give you a kiss to make up for it?" Yuki asked innocently cupping Tohru's chin in his hand inching his face closer and closer to hers.

When their lips were just barely an inch apart he pulled away releasing her face with a smile telling her, "Just kidding."

Tohru's face turned a darker red. Her heart was racing from how close he was to kissing her. A tight knot formed in her chest twisting around painfully. The feeling was strange to her. It was almost like disappointment. Yuki looked away frustrated at himself for being a coward, but it was still too soon for something like that to happen he told himself. He looked back at her flustered face feeling bad for teasing her now. Awkwardness lingered in the air. Neither of them knew what to say at this point.

"Er… Where are we?" Tohru asked trying to break the silence.

"Almost there…" Yuki replied remembering that he was supposed to be taking her somewhere.

The clumps of trees started to get thinner as a lovely crystal clear lake came into view. Birds fluttered around above singing sweet songs with their soft chirps. Flowers were in full bloom around the area. Rainbows of colors lit up the place adding a vibrant energy. The bright yellow sun reflected in the light blue lake, young green grass peaking out from the rich brown soil, everything seemed to be in place, a truly gorgeous site. Tohru's eyes sparkled with adoration when she spotted the magnificent sight.

"A lake??? How beautiful!!!" Tohru gasped her eyes flying around the place.

"I thought you might like it," Yuki replied happily.

"I've never been to a lake before!" Tohru exclaimed.

"I saw it as I was coming to find you and felt compelled to share it with you. Would you like to talk a walk around the lake with me?" Yuki suggested.

"I would love to!" Tohru cried.

A cool breeze blew gently tossing her hair around. Her dark strands rising ever so slightly and tickling the skin of his face. Yuki smiled watching her lips stretch wider and wider with each second. She looked so eager to explore the lake; it reminded him of a small child in a candy shop. Tohru skipped around energetically taking a look at every flower she passed and picking up a few of her favorites to show Yuki who smiled at everything she did.

"It's so pretty!" Tohru breathed.

"Yes it is…"Yuki agreed.

She bounced forward a bright red flower catching her eye. Tohru wanted to pick it and bring it back for Yuki to see oblivious to the long stick just below her feet. Yuki's eyes caught sight of this. He was pretty sure that Tohru was the type of girl who was a klutz and could only imagine what would happen.

"Tohru watch out for the-!" Yuki attempted to call out.

"Wah!" Tohru screamed tripping over a tree branch before her feet waving around her arms around frantically. His prediction was playing out before his eyes. She wobbled near the edge of the lake. Yuki reached out to grab her but it was too late. His hands closed around air. She was already sitting in the water. He tried to turn around but he was too far off to regain his balance. Yuki tried as best as he could to steady himself. Soon another splash was heard and Yuki was next to Tohru in the lake.

"-branch…" Yuki muttered.

Tohru giggled her eyes dancing with amusement. Yuki gazed at her water dripping off the front ends of his hair.

"You think this is funny do you?"

She nodded with a wide grin. He splashed her playfully water jumping up and hitting her. Tohru shrieked covering her face with her hands in attempt to stifle her laughter. Yuki continued getting her wet enjoying her struggle to keep dry when she was already drenched.

"Give up?" Yuki froze long enough to ask.

"Never!" Tohru laughed dumping a handful of water on Yuki's head before jumping up and running to shore. He sat there for a moment stunned that she had actually done that before standing up and running after her. Yuki caught her by the waist running his fingers up and down her abdomen tickling her. Tohru was more ticklish then he thought as she fell over dragging him with her still laughing uncontrollably. She rolled out of his grasp tears building in her eyes from all her laughter.

"I give up!" She squeaked in between laughs.

Yuki looked at her breathlessly his wet bangs clinging to his forehead. Water droplets slipped down his face making Tohru blush when she glanced over at him. He looked like a model for a water park or something close to that. She turned her face upwards towards the sky to keep him from seeing her flushed cheeks. He noticed anyways and was joyous inside. They laid there soaking wet from head to toe. After a few minutes they regained their composure, free from laughter and catching their breaths.

"I don't think I've had that much fun in my entire life!" Tohru told Yuki.

"I'm glad you enjoyed our time together as much as I did," Yuki replied.

"But now we're soaking wet…" Tohru sighed taking a look at her heavy clothes.

"Yes we are," Yuki chuckled.

They lay there for a little white longer before Yuki stood, removed his shirt wringing the excess water from it. Tohru jerked her eyes away her cheeks burning darker then ever. He laid his shirt on the grass for the sun to dry off completely. She kept her eyes off of his chest as best as possible when he walked back over to her not realizing her extreme modesty.

"You should get the water out of your clothes as well… I won't look…" Yuki promised.

Tohru nodded twisting her long hair first. She shook a few extra drops of water out before reaching to her back for the strings that held her dress on. Yuki turned around immediately to give her at least a little privacy. His back was tense, not sure what to do or say while she did her best to dry off.

"Uh… I could go somewhere else if you'd like…" Yuki offered not looking back.

"It's okay… I trust you…" Tohru replied as she slowly untied her wet dress.

Yuki stared at his feet embarrassedly waiting for her to finish. Tohru squeezed her dress watching the water leak out. She shivered as the wind brushed against her near bare body. She wrung her dress one last time to make sure it was dry. As she shook her dress to try and get more water out a strong gust caught her dress snatching it away. Tohru screamed in a state of panic not sure what else to do. Yuki whirled around to see what was wrong when her dress hit him directly in the face. He peeled it off his skin turning a bight red when he saw what it was.

"Sorry… Here…" Yuki mumbled extending his hand to her whilst keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

"Thank you… If you hadn't stopped it I don't know what I would have done…" Tohru responded gratefully taking the dress from him.

She pulled it on quickly. Tohru looked down at herself and made an attempt to straighten out the wrinkles with no success. She sighed shyly telling him, "You can look now."

He noted how wet they both were concluding that their day was near over. They couldn't stay around when they were wet. Yuki also guessed that they'd both be in serious trouble if anyone were to find out they weren't at home. Well he knew for one his mother wouldn't let him off so easily. Her parents were probably the same, but now he realized how little he knew about her. It seemed strange to have the urge to spend time with this girl he barely knew, but he knew that it was what he wanted. Yuki stared at her, it didn't seem like she minded being around him either. Nonetheless it was time to head back.

"Come one I'll walk you home. If we walk straight from here it's a short cut to your home." Yuki informed her pointing down a path.

"No! You don't have to! I can make it by myself. I couldn't ask you to trouble yourself with such a task!" Tohru cried.

"Don't worry, I want to. I understand if you'd rather be alone though…" Yuki added knowing he could coax her into it.

"I'd love your company!" Tohru exclaimed a little too excitedly.

Yuki beamed at her showing her the way back to her castle. They arrived there soon enough. She frowned sadly when they got there, sad to see him go and a little scared to find out if anyone had caught her. He bowed to her bending over with one arm across his stomach and the other behind his back. Tohru seemed surprised at his polite gesture feeling the need to bow three times to make up for it. This made Yuki grin as he touched the top of her head to tell her to stop. She peered up at him her hair hiding her eyes.

"I do hope you come see me again next week," Yuki said with a smile.

"Yes, please take care of yourself! Change into dry clothes as soon as you get home so you don't catch a cold!" Tohru advised sweetly standing up.

"I will. Make sure to do so yourself… If I knew you lived here we could have taken this route last time… Oh well…" Yuki breathed.

"Thank you! See you next time!" Tohru replied.

"See you then princess," Yuki responded.

Her eyes widened wondering if he knew. Yuki grinned waving to her before he turned around leaving her with her thoughts. Tohru decided to ignore it and crawled back under the secret entrance. She ran over to the castle wall and climbed up the rope. Her arms were sore; she rubbed them gently as she pulled the rope up. It had been a very exhausting day. She took off her damp dress and changing into a more comfortable dry dress.

"Whew… It seems like nobody noticed my absence…" Tohru thought as she peeked out her bedroom.

Sorry for the late update! I was coloring a recent Yukiru picture I did! Umm… So review and tell me if I should end this happily ever after or with a tragedy! The ending will be up to you guys because I have good ideas for both!

**NOTE**: I shall change the title of this fic to Forget Me Not. after two more chaps this won't be known as Forbidden anymore, m'kay? This new title has more significance.


	8. First Kiss?

Tohru was in a daze for the first few minutes when she returned home. Aimlessly she wandered around the halls not sure what to do until she collided with someone. She fell backwards landing on her bottom, she looked up rubbing her backside in pain. Large brown eyes hidden by bouncy blonde bangs stared at her with worry. He waved his hand in front of her eyes energetically to bring her back from her own world. She blinked baffled at why they were sitting on the floor. The stinging in her backside reminded her that she fell.

"Tohru? Why aren't you with Haru?" the small boy in front of her asked.

"Momiji-kun? What are you doing here?" Tohru breathed brushing away a stray lock of hair from her eyes.

"I live here! Don't you remember Tohru? Or did you hit your head again?"

Tohru stared at him for a second before she remembered who he was. This was Momiji, her half German and half Japanese cousin. They lived here in the palace together along with Haru, Kisa, Oubasan, Hakufu and various servants with plenty of room left to spare. The castle was big enough to hold the whole town but homeless people still wandered about. She always felt guilty when she saw them giving them the money she had on her. Her mind began to drift off to the topic of a charity before she remembered that she was talking to Momiji.

"Eh??? I'm sorry Momiji-kun!!!" Tohru cried with a flustered face.

Momiji smiled widely before frowning again and looking at her seriously. Tohru peered back at him oddly; Momiji never had such an expression on his face for as long as she knew him. He was always hyper and happy.

"Tohru, why aren't you with Haru now? Aren't you worried about him?"

"Huh? What's wrong with Nii-san?"

"You know, since he's sick and all…"

"Eh??? He's sick?" Tohru gasped.

Her eyes widened at what Momiji just said. Haru didn't seem sick when she saw him yesterday but a lot could change in a short amount of time. She prayed she had misheard Momiji and that Haru wasn't sick. Tohru didn't want her brother to have a pain of any sort.

"You didn't know? He collapsed this morning," Momiji replied.

"Wah! I have to go see him now!!!" Tohru gasped jumping up to her feet and running down the hall to Haru's room. Momiji sat there dumbfounded his head cocked to the side. She swung open the doors to Haru's room breathlessly. Kisa and Haru stared at her obviously surprised that she was back already. Tohru went over to Haru's bedside across from Kisa and clutched Haru's hand. Concern shone in her eyes. She bit her lip, he didn't appear sick but looks tend to be deceiving, it might even be an internal problem!

"Are you alright???" Tohru asked worriedly.

"I don't know… The doctor said I might not be alive for much longer…" Haru teased her with a serious expression planted on his face.

"Nii-san! You shouldn't joke about that!" Kisa scolded.

Haru burst out laughing from how sad Tohru appeared a few minutes ago. Tohru blinked a couple of times confused before she realized that Haru wasn't going to die. She let out a sigh of relief before getting flustered about believing Haru's joke. Why would he kid about something so serious? Nothing seemed to be making any sense to her at the moment.

"Joke?"

Nii-san teasing you…" Kisa explained with an apologetic face. She felt guilty for even allowing her sister to feel pity for Haru when he wasn't even ill in the first place. They had more important things to discuss starting with where Tohru was earlier. Kisa didn't want to spend more time on this joke. She was really anxious to know about where Tohru was.

"Eh??? Really??? But I was really worried!!!" Tohru cried waving her arms up and down.

"Okay… Okay… I'm sorry…" Haru said in between laughs.

"But then… Why are you here?" Tohru asked getting more confused by the second.

"Because I was helping you," Haru answered.

"Helping me? But Momiji-kun said you collapsed," Tohru responded.

"Yeah and I had to get at least five injections because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me," Haru added rubbing his sore arm. There were five bandages on his right arm and an IV was still attached to his left arm. If he hadn't collapsed then why did he have an IV in his arm? It looked like it hurt, Tohru was not a person who enjoyed needles, and in fact they scared her.

"Are you okay?" Tohru asked.

"He's fine… But where were you this morning?" Kisa asked Tohru.

"Me? I wasn't anywhere special… I don't know what you're talking about…" Tohru murmured in mock innocence. She faced the floor. She was never one who was good with lying. In truth she hated lying but they wouldn't understand, Haru would most likely scold her for meeting with a stranger. They cared for her, she knew that but she also wasn't a baby. Tohru knew who she could trust and she trusted Yuki.

"But Onee-chan…" Kisa started before Haru interrupted.

"Nothing…. Tohru can you go to the kitchen and ask them for something that I can eat?" Haru suggested rubbing his stomach.

"Yes Nii-san!" Tohru responded as she left the room in a hurry. Outside she exhaled. If they had asked her and more questions she was positive that they would have saw straight through her. She grinned with relief and skipped down the stairs to the kitchen happily.

"You just wanted her to show her face around so nobody would think she was really missing, right? But why didn't you ask here where she was? She'd listen to you…" Kisa told him a bit confused.

"Kisa, sometimes it's better to be patient and wait for the other person to open up to you," Haru advised with a half smile.

Kisa looked up at him curiously. It was Tohru they were talking about; she'd forget she ever snuck out if they waited too long. Haru laughed as if he was reading Kisa's mind. One would never expect those thoughts from Kisa, the small shy looking girl. Still, she was probably correct about that. Tohru wasn't the smartest person alive but she was one of the most caring and innocent. That's why they both were so concerned, she was so gullible that she'd have tea with a rapist and start a pleasant conversation. It was their job to keep her from doing that.

"I have a feeling that this isn't just a one time thing. We'll see if she leaves again next week," Haru smiled.

-------------------

Yuki peered up at the brick wall before he took a step back and jumped up gracefully landing atop the brick wall. He crouched down on top of the tall structure looking around the scenery before him. In all his life he had never seen his home from this view. It had a more homely touch to it, but he knew better to believe what he saw. Living here was like a curse, half his life he wished he was born elsewhere, anywhere would do, even the streets. Heck they could have abandoned him there and he would have been happier.

"So where were you?"

Yuki peered down at the orange-haired man leaning against the wall. It was none other then his _dear _cousin Kyo. They had never gotten along as far as he could remember. He couldn't even recall why they hated each other's guts, they just did. Asking why there was such a tension between them was like asking why there were stars in the sky or why the earth was created. There was no answer it just is.

"Kyo, what are you doing here?" Yuki asked.

"What do you mean?! You've been missing all morning! We were all required to look for you!" Kyo snapped looking up at Yuki.

"Really? I didn't think mother would go that far, let alone notice that I actually left," Yuki muttered his gaze returning back to the sky.

"Of course she'd notice if her precious heir went missing, idiot. It's not like I care… Just get down you moron before someone notices you perched up there like some dumb bird," Kyo replied stuffing his hands into his pockets and staring at the grass. He wore a scowl on his face; deep inside he was relieved that Yuki was back though he would never admit it. He was also glad that he could go back to doing whatever he pleased mostly train so he could beat Yuki.

"So instead of looking like you were supposed to, you hid here? Pure laziness. I knew you were stupid but I didn't know you were this worthless," Yuki retorted calmly as he jumped off the wall. He brushed off the dirt from his pants and shirt.

"Why you-!"

Yuki raised his eyebrows at him, anxious to hear the extent of his threat. Most of them he found amusing since Kyo could never actually lay a finger on him. It was even his lifetime goal to beat Yuki, but Yuki was never really interested in fighting. To him, learning how to fight was just something required by his parents not a hobby. For some strange reason they thought he was going to get kidnapped if he ever left the castle. Not that they actually cared for his safety they just needed an heir.

"Yuki! Why are you bickering over there?! And where were you this morning?" barked an icy cold voice. Yuki took one look at her and his mood was sent pummeling down. She wasn't his favorite person to see.

"Oubasan… I'll leave you two alone now. But we'll continue this fight later, you damn girly man!" Kyo yelled before he walked away.

Yuki rolled his eyes at his immature cousin. Name calling was just one form of their fights. Most of them were arguments and actual physical fighting and Kyo started practically every one of them. Usually he would have said something back but his mother was here. And making her wait just got her angrier, which was never good. His relationship with her was just as poor as his with Kyo. It seemed like there was no one he could truly relate to at his own home.

"Answer my question. Where were you, Yuki?" She repeated ignoring Kyo completely.

"I was nowhere…" Yuki murmured an obvious lie.

--SMACK—

Her hand whipped against his pale smooth cheek. Yuki clutched his pained cheek. Blood was dripping down his skin; her nails had dug into his face when she slapped him leaving three cuts running across his otherwise flawless cheek. She stared at him her mouth open shutting slightly not sure what to say to someone she had just hit. Her arm lowered, dropping back down to her side. He looked directly back at her, she hadn't hurt him physically in a while, he was caught off guard or he would have dodged that easily.

"Don't give me your silly answers!" She yelled in a voice without remorse or regret for hitting her own son.

Yuki was angry he was going to say something but was left speechless. His cheek throbbed crazily; it was turning a bright red and getting swollen. There was a strong pressure forming between the two of them. It would have gotten much worse if it wasn't for Ayame. Ayame jumped out of nowhere running to Yuki singing, "Yuki my dear brother! Do not fear! Nii-san is here for you now!"

Both Yuki and his mother winced at the sight and sound of Ayame. His mother was infuriated at the sight of him, to her he was nothing other then a disappointing worthless son. She didn't even think he was fit to be the king of their country. It was amazing that she hadn't kicked him out if it annoyed her just to see him.

"Ayame! Get out of the way!!!" their mother ordered angrily.

"Oh dear! What cruel creature has inflicted such a wound on you? We must see Tori-san immediately to get this treated!" Ayame declared. He placed one hand on Yuki's unharmed cheek turning the cuts to his eyes.

"Don't ignore me!!!"

"Dear, dear mother, how could you be yelling when Yuki is injured? Tsk! Ah but Yuki you shall learn to depend on your Nii-san!" exclaimed Ayame pulling Yuki towards the castle in a hurry.

Yuki was startled by Ayame's pulling stumbling after him. He had no idea what Ayame was up to but at least he was being useful and getting him away from his mother. Ayame half ran and half skipped his way to the palace. Yuki looked away ashamed to be related to him at this moment. Their mother stomped her foot fuming, hating the fact that they weren't listening to her, their superior and mother. This was ridiculous. Some sons they were.

"Hey!!! Come back here!!! Don't scold your mother and run off!!!" She screamed at them a vein popping out of her forehead.

"Now, now! Don't put your needs ahead of Yuki's injury mother! Ta Ta! We'll honor you with our presence later!" Ayame called to her with a wink.

"Ayame!!!" She shrieked but she didn't follow them.

Once they were out of her earshot Yuki thanked his older brother. Ayame looked at Yuki with a simple smile. Even though Yuki didn't know it Ayame's biggest wish was to get closer to Yuki and be there for him. Yuki just thought Ayame was being ridiculous like normal when he said things like that. But Ayame really wanted to be a good older brother, a protective and understanding person that Yuki could count on and come to for support. Maybe that was a faint fantasy but someday he wanted to see that happen, even if he was eighty years old then. If it did in fact come true he could die a happy man.

"Of course! You can always count on me… Only three people in this world would risk so much for their little brother, and number one is yours truly," Ayame replied.

Yuki smiled slightly wincing. Even a simple smile hurt him. Ayame noticed this, his worry growing. He didn't like to see Yuki feeling pain. They each opened a door to the castle entering together, a rare sight. It was hard to see them within ten feet of each other but here they were talking with one another. Something you'd need to capture on film or no one would believe it.

"Did she do this?" Ayame asked.

"If by she, you mean mother then yes," Yuki answered bitterly.

"Not to fear! I, your honorable brother, am here to protect you now," Ayame announced to an imaginary crowd. He stopped in front of the doors to the infirmary.

"Tori-san! Open up! Terrible misfortune has placed harm on Yuki's face!" Ayame exclaimed whilst pounding on the door.

Hatori opened the door with a ticked off expression. Taking one look at Yuki he pulled him in. Ayame followed letting the doors close behind him. Hatori walked over to his large array of cabinets scanning them for a particular bottle. The two brothers stood there together in silence, this was a shock to Hatori. He hadn't expected this change so soon.

"Take a seat," he instructed as he pulled out a bottle of alcohol.

"You're not going to let a scar appear on my dear brother, right Tori-san?" asked Ayame grabbing Yuki and holding him tightly.

Yuki pushed Ayame away almost suffocated by Ayame's smothering. He sat down in a chair in front of Hatori. Hatori opened the bottle pouring a small amount onto a ball of white cotton. Ayame stood behind Yuki wrapping his arms around Yuki's neck looking like a small kid afraid of the dark. He wasn't even the injured one and he was acting like a baby.

"I'll try not to…" Hatori muttered.

"Well do try your best! A scar will be most dreadful!" Ayame gasped squeezing Yuki tighter.

Hatori wiped the wounds with alcohol, dabbing them several times. Yuki shoved Ayame's arms off of him starting to get fed of with this older brother of his. Sometimes he actually preferred him neglecting him over this obsession with concern. Three cuts weren't exactly deadly or fatal.

"Does it hurt?" Ayame asked worriedly.

Yuki shook his head as Hatori placed a bandage over his cuts. Ayame was the most distressed out of the three of them. Hatori and Yuki were hardly worked up Yuki was the one hurt and Hatori the doctor. Ayame was an extra here, the classical over worrier. It was nice to know he cared but he was crossing the line here. He was worse then a mother was with her first child.

"It should be completely healed in a matter of weeks," Hatori told Yuki.

"Thank you…" Yuki responded gratefully with a nod.

"No problem… I don't believe it will leave a scar," Hatori added.

"Thank goodness! But must you torment me by saving that bit of news for last?" Ayame asked placing his hand over his forehead with a sigh.

Yuki rolled his eyes at his brother. Sometimes he wondered if all along Ayame was just worried about his looks instead of his well being. He didn't really want to find out and Ayame never told him. He knew Tohru would probably panic over this maybe even more then Ayame if she was here. Yuki smiled to himself imagining this. Quickly he straightened out his smile before Hatori or Ayame noticed it'd be difficult to explain a random smile. He never smiled often before either which just contributed to the task, it was just better to hide it.

"What are you taking about?" Hatori muttered.

"Were you even paying attention to my words?"

"No…"

"How could you ignore me, a prince and your best friend?" Ayame cried.

"We're just cousins…" Hatori mumbled.

"Whatever… I'm leaving…" Yuki muttered as he exited the room. He didn't exactly want to hear their fighting. The arguments never turned out serious. They were friends anyways. In other words, it was their way of conversing and Yuki wasn't interested in that. He had other things he had to focus on.

_"That was close… I was almost caught… I'll have to be more careful next time… Night time should be a better option because I don't think I'll be able to stop seeing her…" _Yuki thought as he headed to his room.

Immediately he lay down on his bed tiredly closing his eyes. He hadn't gotten enough sleep this morning and was about to fall asleep when someone barged into his room. It seemed like everyone here was against him and his sleep. Yuki opened his eyes to await his visitor. If it was Ayame he swore he would kill him.

"Yuki, is it true that you were injured?" a voice sounding disappointed rather then worried asked.

"Father?"

Yuki hardly ever saw his father. He was always to busy to visit him, ever since he was a small child. To Yuki, his father was practically a stranger. His image of this man was vague, he could barely recognize him. Therefore his appearance startled him. His father was the last person he expected to see, Tohru, who didn't even know where he lived, seemed a more reasonable visitor then his father.

"Who else would it be? Your mother informed me that you feel and scratched your face. Is it damaged permanently?" he asked.

"It's fine…" Yuki answered thinking it was like his mother to lie about slapping him. He almost laughed but saved himself from a long explanation to his father.

"Let me see…" He ordered taking a step over and removing the bandage.

Yuki flinched but didn't move. His father would get his way in the end anyways. Why struggle? He let his dad look at it. Yuki hadn't even taken a good look at his injury but by his reaction it wasn't so serious. Hatori didn't even seem so worked up.

"Hmm… This should be better in a few weeks… I'll put off the meeting for a while…" He told Yuki as he replaced the bandage.

"Meeting? With whom? Is it for me?"

"Your meeting with princess Machi of course," he replied.

"Princess Machi?"

"Princess Machi, your future wife… She's the princess of Mizu!" he exclaimed impatiently.

Yuki didn't like the sound of that. He should have gotten used to it. His parents both have been making decisions for him from his birth. It was stupid to think they would change. But this was something he wanted to fight more then anything else. Every other memory of the choices they made for him seemed so small now, what he wore, how his hair was cut they didn't seem to matter now. This was his love life, his future! When would he get a say in his own life? This was beyond wrong.

"Future wife?"

"Of course! When you become king you'll need a queen," He answered.

"Father! You and mother are making decisions without consulting me again!" Yuki snapped.

"We're just helping you plan your future. When you over-react like this it angers me. Especially when all we want to do is assist you," He responded.

"This is **my** life. I should have a say! You can't plan out everything for me! This isn't fair!" Yuki yelled. With each thing his father said it irritated Yuki even more. His parents were too much to deal with sometimes. He wished they gave him some options at least.

"Life isn't fair! Especially not when you are of royal blood! Do you think I had a say when I was married?" He shouted.

"Well if you don't like it stop it! Don't put your child through the same pain you went through! Honestly I think you're taking all your anger out on my marriage! Just because you suffered you want me to as well, don't you?" Yuki asked angrily.

"Shut up! Don't talk to me like that! I've had enough of you!!!" his father screamed as he stormed out of the room slamming the door shut behind him.

The walls shook from the force. Yuki shook his head tiredly. At least he got through to his father. All that there was left to do was hope that he would change his mind. His father was more likely to back off then his mother. She was most likely the one who came up with this arrangement. He didn't like the idea of marrying someone he had never met before.

"It seems like we just keep getting pushed further apart, Tohru…" Yuki whispered.

Soon enough the week came to a close. This morning was the day Tohru and he had arranged to meet and for that Yuki forced himself to get up early. He staggered out of bed and wobbled into the bathroom. Waking up was never his specialty. Sometimes it took him a full hour to actually wake up properly. Yuki was trying his hardest for a certain brunette. For once, he wanted to be there to greet her, even if this would be the only time.

_"Must wake up… Can't let Tohru wait anymore… WAKE UP!"_ Yuki ordered himself.

-----------

Tohru put on a pale yellow dress staring at her reflection in the full length mirror. She turned around a bright smile across her face. Today, she had woken up early because she couldn't sleep. It was like Yuki was a drug and she needed him. He was already making her lose sleep and she hardly knew him yet. A year from now she could only picture what he made her feel, that is if they got any closer. She could only hope they did.

_"Today's the day I get to see Yuki! I don't know why I feel so excited!" _

Tohru arranged the pillows on her bed to look like her sleeping form. She placed her blanket over the pile, smiled and left the castle grounds in a hurry. When she was about half way there she remembered that Yuki wasn't one for mornings and slowed down her pace. She beamed as she got closer to town. This was the little piece of freedom she had even if she had to sneak out to get it.

Even though there was only a tiny chance that Yuki had even gotten out of bed yet she still looked around for him half heartedly. To her surprise she found Yuki fast asleep under the sakura tree. He lay on the ground softly snoring, his chest slowly rising up and down. Tohru sat down next to him trying to muffle her laughs.

"It's windy out… I should wake him up…" Tohru mumbled to herself.

"Yuki-kun? … Yuki-kun?!"

Tohru poked his shoulder gently continuing to call his name. He turned over still in deep sleep. She smiled brushing his bangs out of his eyes. Yuki looked so peaceful in his sleep, like a fallen angel. Maybe he was an angel; he looked beautiful enough to be one.

"Yuki-kun! Yuki-kun!!! Wake up!" Tohru giggled.

"Mm…." Yuki groaned, still asleep.

Tohru stood up and frowned. She crossed her arms. It seemed impossible to wake this guy up. An angel couldn't be like a corpse when he slept. Any other person would have thought he was dead if it weren't for his steady breathing.

"This isn't working! How early did he get here…? I'll give it one more try…"

Tohru took a step forward, slipping on a stone and tripping.

"Wah!!!" She cried falling face first onto Yuki… again… Her lips were pressed against his in a firm kiss. At this Yuki's eyes snapped open from shock staring up into her wide brown eyes. She gazed back at him, not sure what to do. She could already feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. How would she explain this to him?

review ♥ (Don't forget the title is changing after this!)


	9. A Hundred Shades Of Blushes

She pushed herself off of his chest immediately. Tohru kneeled down in front of him her head hanging in shame. Why did she have to be such a klutz and fall on top of him again? Except this time was a lot worse, she had touched his lips with her own! She couldn't bring herself to look at him at all as she apologized. What was she going to do if he was mad and didn't want to see her anymore? Her heart throbbed, just thinking about that possibility.

"I'm sorry!!! I didn't mean too!!! I tripped! Sorry! Please forgive me!" Tohru cried embarrassedly, her cheeks redder then a tomato.

Yuki laid there blinking a few times in shock. Did she just kiss him, on the lips, or was he still dreaming? He listened to her apologize frantically for a minute before rolling on his side and putting her out of her misery. His finger was placed over her lips, stopping her apologies, though making her blush even more. Her eyes widened in surprise, she found herself accidentally meeting his eyes. Instantly she looked down at her lap not sure what to say now. He removed his finger from her mouth finding a faint pink color coating his cheeks; her lips were still warm from the kiss.

"It's okay…" Yuki replied looking away awkwardly.

Tohru tensed up seeing him look away. This wasn't good! He couldn't look at her because he was so mad! Being in such a panic she didn't notice the fact that he was blushing too and was looking away for the same reason she was. She began to feel even guiltier then before. She had ruined everything!

"Sorry! Sorry… Sorry… It was an accident…." Tohru began apologizing again.

Yuki smiled wryly deciding to tease her a bit for making the first move, "So… Do you always kiss guys to wake them up?"

"No… That was my first kiss…" Tohru murmured not realizing that those actual words left her mouth. She clasped her hand over her mouth blushing furiously. That wasn't supposed to reach his ears! He probably thought she was stupid for never having kissed a guy before. Tohru bit her lip, this wasn't her day. Yuki smiled, never once thinking that she would have told him something like that so soon.

"Who knew you would give something as valuable as your first kiss," Yuki added in a half joking tone.

Tohru's face turned darker. He leaned forward, as if to kiss her which made her back away from nervousness. Yuki continued to get closer and closer to her face. She closed her eyes, keeping them shut tightly. He grinned passing her face until his mouth was beside the side of her face. Instead of kissing her or doing anything intimate he brushed back a few strands of her hair whispering in her ear, "It's okay, you have mine as well…"

Tohru looked up at him beaming; she felt relief wash over her, relief along with a bit of distress. Relationships lasted longer if they went slow, right? So why did she want to kiss him and actually have him kiss her back so badly? She faced the grass feeling dirty for thinking like that. Yuki stared at her, getting the hint that she wasn't happy even at this angle. He could have sworn she had just smiled, where did her smile go then? How her frown stabbed at his heart, the pain he couldn't begin to describe.

"Don't worry about it… You can forget about this incident. Just pretend it didn't happen if you would like… I won't mention it," Yuki promised locking her hair behind her ear and withdrawing so he could see her face. Tohru gazed into his eyes finding herself lost and unsure of what to do. She looked down forlorn, not sure how to respond. This wasn't something she could or would forget for the rest of her life. In truth she wanted to remember it, not because she had fallen on top of him and embarrassed herself but because she thought he might have liked the touch of her lips against his. Maybe just maybe she wasn't the only one who enjoyed it; maybe she wasn't the only one who was okay with him taking her first kiss.

"No…"

Yuki stared at her, a surprised expression on his face. He thought girls wanted their first kiss to be on the beach shore on a warm summer night under the full moon with rose petals blowing about. Or at least something romantic with a man they were in love with. Maybe that was a little bit extreme but he knew that falling on a guy she hardly knew and accidentally giving away her first kiss wasn't exactly pleasurable. It didn't take a genius to see the horror in her eyes. Even a blind person could sense that wasn't what she wanted to happen. That's why her refusal struck him oddly.

"I don't want to push it aside like it never happened. That isn't right. No memory is worth forgetting because one day you might end up learning something from it. So for now I'll hold onto it even if I get embarrassed about it now…" Tohru explained.

"Glad to know you think about me… So what are we going to learn from this? Not to sleep out in the open and to watch where you're going?" Yuki grinned kidding with her.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you feel like you have to remember it. It's okay if you want to forget about it…" Tohru replied blushing madly.

He paused, thinking about her answer. Her response seemed to chase away all his ideas that she regretted falling on top of him at least but what did he want? Yuki was silent unaware of his longing to truly be loved and accepted by someone until she looked at him with those wide innocent chocolate eyes. That look, just one look made his heart flutter. This was the kind of feeling he had been waiting to experience. He stuttered remembering that she was waiting for him to say something.

"I won't forget either, because I cherish every moment of my life. Because life always ends too soon and I want to be able to look back and smile at every memory," Yuki agreed.

Tohru shyly smiled, "So do you think about me?"

"Honestly… I do… I think about you all the time…" Yuki answered.

Tohru blushed again, "Er… Yuki, when did you get here?"

Yuki lay back down on the grass, his exhaustion coming back and striking him with much force. So many things he would give to have had another ten hours of sleep but if he went back his time with Tohru would be cut short. That was the last thing he wanted, he'd ignore his sleepiness for her. After all he had been waiting all week for this, hadn't he? She watched him, seeing how tired he appeared she felt guilty for making him come out. Tohru wrapped her arms around her knees, imagining how his arms would feel around her back. She shook her head, not wanting him to find out what she was just thinking about.

"Early… I didn't want to make you wait like last time…"

"I'm sorry… You must have waited a long time for me…" Tohru whispered.

He paused taking a good look at her for the first time today. She looked stunning as always, he complimented her, "Tohru, you are cute today. Bright colors do suit you really well."

"Eh??? No, I'm not cute at all!" Tohru cried embarrassedly.

"Yes, you are very adorable," Yuki silenced her patting the top of her head.

Tohru's head bobbed down she looked up at his face surprised to find three red cuts along his right cheek. Wondering what happened she stared at them her brows furrowing with worry. Without thinking she ran her fingers down his face believing it was a thought, a mental image, until he flinched and backed away from her. She pulled back bashfully. It was the aftermath of cuts; of course it would hurt if she touched them. Yuki gave her a funny look not understanding her actions. Tohru opened her mouth to speak but wasn't sure how to defend herself. At least he didn't look angry, that was a bonus.

"What happened to your cheek?" Tohru asked.

"It was an accident, don't worry about it…" Yuki replied looking away from her.

Tohru blinked. The next thing she knew her lips were pressed against his hurt cheek. She had kissed him for the second time that day. Instantly she flushed a crimson color pulling back away from him holding her hands up in frenzy. Yuki looked down at the floor his cheek colors matching hers perfectly. For some reason or another, his cheek didn't seem to hurt as much anymore. It defied all logic but he didn't seem to mind.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I don't know what I was doing!" Tohru exclaimed.

-------------

"Nii-san, you were wrong… Onee-chan is in bed…" Kisa muttered pointing to the lump on Tohru's bed.

"Take a closer look Kisa. I'm not wrong," Haru replied.

"What?"

Haru calmly walked over to the bed and pulled of the blanket reveling nothing but pillows on top of the bed, Kisa's eyes widened in astonishment. He set the blanket back over the pile, making it seem as if he didn't even move it in the first place. Kisa just stared, speechless at the moment. She hadn't even realized that Tohru wasn't there, and Tohru wasn't exactly talented at disguising things. She couldn't figure out how Haru saw through it so easily but she couldn't.

"She's gone? But the pillows really looked like her… How did you know she wasn't there?" Kisa asked Haru.

"Past experiences…" Haru muttered vaguely remembering the countless times he had snuck out.

"What are we going to do?"

"Nothing…"

"Huh?"

"We're going to wait for her to open up to us. If we ask her she'll just deny it," Haru explained.

"But… What if she doesn't tell us anything?"

"Then we'll take the matter into our own hands…Don't worry, she'll tell us someday…" Haru reassured her patting her on the head.

How he seemed so calm and unfazed by this confused her. Wasn't he concerned at all about Tohru? She, for one, wanted to know why Tohru was leaving and where she went. Tohru had never done anything like this before. Tohru wasn't really the kind of person who put her feelings out in the open like this to be sneaking out. Someone really important must have changed her mind…. But who? Haru rubbed the top of her head with a nonchalant smile, telling her not to think so much about it.

-----------

"Do does your necklace represent anything? I can't help but notice that you're always wearing it," Yuki commented gesturing towards the string of pearl with the ruby pendent around Tohru's thin neck.

Tohru glanced down at the necklace clutching it dearly in her hand before replying in a faint voice, "It was my mother's… She gave it to me before she died not too long ago…"

Seeing the depression coat her face Yuki instantly regretted asking her about it. He touched her cheek gingerly with her fingertips, his way of trying to comfort her, "Sorry…"

She looked up at him shaking her head. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea; it wasn't like she couldn't speak about them at all. Tohru looked up at him releasing the necklace. Yuki lowered his hand away from her face hesitantly before he actually pulled her towards him and kissed her. He was tempted to feel those luscious lips against his own again, barely refraining from giving in. The only thing that kept him from doing so was those sad eyes. Those eyes, missing the cheerful glimmering light of happiness tugged and tore at his insides.

"Don't be… Mom and dad are in a better place now," Tohru smiled, a smile, just a smile, not light radiating around her face, no real emotion. It wasn't real; it wasn't even close to her usual smiles. Where was that smile he craved to see?

"You must miss them terribly."

"I do… But I know they're always watching over Kisa, Haru and me… That's why I don't have to be sad, but sometimes I can't help but wish they were still here…" Tohru responded softly, a tear sliding down her cheek.

Yuki peered at her face, he fought so hard to restrain from kissing those saddening tears off of her face. He settled for wrapping his arm around her shoulder in a comforting half embrace murmuring, "Sorry… I made you cry." Her eyes widened out of shock but she relaxed resting her head on his broad shoulders. She smiled warmly feeling better already a blush settling on her cheeks. So this was how his arms felt around her.

"I didn't mean to cry! Sorry, it's not your fault!" Tohru replied dabbing at her eyes with her hands.

"Its alright… You don't have to act strong all the time. Sometimes it's good to let out your emotions and cry," Yuki comforted her.

"Thank you…" Tohru breathed, nodding.

"No… I should thank you for sharing something so personal with me," Yuki told her with a small smile.

She glanced up at him from her position on his chest. This was the first time anyone had held her like this, even within her own family. And this was a guy! Sometimes she didn't even know who she had just become getting so close with a man after barely knowing him, but she had to admit it did feel comforting. He caught her staring at him feeling his cheeks heat up. Yuki kept his eyes focused on the horizon in front of him trying to keep her from seeing his timid attitude. If there was a way to stay like this forever, he wanted to find it.

_"Mom, dad… Thank you both… You two left me alone but you made sure there would be someone to be there for me and watch over me, didn't you? For that I want to thank you… Thank you for letting Yuki appear in my life…" _


	10. A Ribbon

Yuki paced back and forth in front of a fabric store waiting for his brother, Ayame, to finish getting the cloth he needed. He hung his head low in boredom wondering why Ayame made him go everywhere with him. There was no point in him being here, he didn't hold any of the bags, he didn't help Ayame pick anything out; all he did was wait outside. He had been standing and walking around outside of the shop for half an hour already. The sky was growing grey, signaling a rain was going to fall soon. Getting wet wasn't something he liked, he wished Ayame would hurry up and get out so they could go home already.

He sat on the sidewalk for another ten minutes. Feeling a rain drop land on his cheek he stood up and decided to wait inside a nearby store for Ayame. Since there was no way he was going inside that fabric shop with his brother inside, he stepped in the store beside it, a gift shop. Various trinkets and such lined the shelves along with other things girls would like. Yuki felt out of place here but at least it was empty except for the cashier; it was a lot better then standing outside. Subconsciously he walked around the shop his eyes settling on a box filled with ribbons. One in particular caught his eye, a silk hair ribbon. It was hot pink tinted a lighter pink on the edges; he picked it up fingering the soft, smooth texture. It was the kind of thing he imagined would look lovely in Tohru's hair; he smiled, deciding to get it he walked over to the counter.

"How much?" He asked the lady cashier.

She lowered the magazine looking him up and down, popping the bubble gum she was chewing. She leaned forward and looked at the ribbon responding impatiently, "1500 yen."

"I'll buy it…" Yuki smiled to himself as he pulled out the money needed; handing it to the lady he walked out of the shop in a better mood.

Leaving the shop and stepping out onto the sidewalk he was shocked to see Ayame standing there, tapping his foot with much impatience. Yuki stuffed the ribbon in the back of his pocket to prevent any questions from Ayame about it. Funny how Ayame seemed to never come out when he was silently begging him to and when he left Ayame came out in an instant. The situation resembled the saying that a watched pot never boils a little too closely. Ayame flew over to Yuki as soon as he spotted him using one hand to hold onto the bags filled with yards of fabric and the other to grasp Yuki's arm.

"What ill misfortune has drawn you away from the spot where you were waiting for me prior to your disappearance?" Ayame asked over dramatically as usual.

"In case you haven't noticed…. It's raining," Yuki answered half truthfully. He had originally gone inside to avoid the rain. There was no need for Ayame to know the other reason he was inside of the shop for so long.

"Ah yes! By far you are most definitely correct! The clouds above must be requesting us to return home at once!" Ayame cried outstretching an arm to Yuki and dragging him into the awaiting car.

The two of them sat in silence in the car. For the first half of the ride Ayame babbled on about complete nonsense to both Yuki and the driver but after hearing no responses for his _elegant_ voice he quieted down, something Yuki was grateful for. Throughout the rest of the ride home his mind kept drifting to the idea of giving Tohru the ribbon. He wanted to give it to her now, he wanted- no needed to know her reaction. It wasn't like it was something too romantic like jewelry. Someday he wanted to give her that but for now he hoped she'd like a ribbon instead.

"-ki! Yuki!"

"Huh?"

"Do you feel the need to stay in the car all day or are you coming out? We have arrived at the lovely abyss we call home," Ayame responded.

Yuki glanced around at the still scenery; it was true; the car was no longer moving, stopped right by the castle. He said no more as he slipped out of the car and into the house. Right away he climbed the stairs to his room despite Ayame's wishes for them to spend more time together. Locking the door he kept Ayame out of his room as he went back to imagining what Tohru would say to him. Knowing her, the result wouldn't be too horrible.

Tired, as always, he fell asleep on his bed without changing his clothes. In the midst of his sleep he found himself dreaming an odd dream. It felt so real, as if it had actually happened in the past…

_He found himself in his six year old body. A bit baffled he looked around; soft cries could be heard from a little girl sitting under a small sakura tree over to his right. Wondering why she was weeping he approached her finding blood dripping down her knee. It had seemed like she had recently scrapped her knee and couldn't walk. _

"_Are you alright?" he asked in a voice he could hardly recognize. The tone, the sound, it was all so childish, in a higher pitch than he had heard come out of his mouth in a long time. _

"_I want my mommy!" She sobbed._

"_Come on! I'll help you find her!" He offered ecstatically, for a minute forgetting her leg was hurt. _

"_I can't walk… My leg hurts too much…" She breathed looking up at him with a pair of teary eyes. _

"_It's okay! I'll carry you!" He told her. _

_Yuki stared down at his small body and tiny hands not sure if he could carry her. His six year old self believe otherwise, kneeling down on his knees. She nodded and wiped away her tears before climbing onto his back. Shyly she wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood up locking his arms under the backs of her knees to support her as he gave her a piggy-back ride around the town until she pointed out her mother. _

Yuki awoke with a start, wondering who that girl was. There was no doubt that it was more then a dream, it was a faded, forgotten memory. Her identity was something he wanted to know but it wasn't likely he would find out who she was no matter how much he longed to. That was over ten years ago, both of them had most likely changed too much to recognize each other. Little did he know Tohru, a few miles away just had the same dream. Her memory was just as hazy as his; she could hardly make out his face. She rubbed her eyes sleepily falling back to sleep without another thought. Staring up at the ceiling, Yuki was not able to go back to his nap.

"_Everyone wishes to be a prince or princess, wanting to be royalty but never realizing how difficult it really is. They don't realize how little freedom we actually have. Our lives are planned out for us from our birth. We don't have any choice, not in our spouse, out friends, not in anything. That's just another reason I'm glad I had the chance to meet Tohru…" _

---------

Tohru got out of bed early that Sunday; not to meet Yuki though. She had already called him and told him she'd meet him around noon. Today was a part of her plan to keep everyone from noticing that she left every Sunday morning. During this week she had come up with this idea, she'd hang around all morning making her presence well known, leave at lunch and be back before dinner time. She was beginning to think she got up too early; she sat at the dining room eating her breakfast alone.

"No one is up…" Tohru muttered after taking a bite out of her pear.

Kisa sleepily trudged downstairs for breakfast to satisfy her empty stomach. She figured it'd be another Sunday of eating breakfast alone. Even though Tohru hadn't actually left the house several times yet she had gotten used to it already but it didn't stop her from missing or worrying about Tohru. That's why she was surprised to find Tohru at the table eating. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief.

"Good Morning!" Tohru greeted Kisa cheerfully.

"Onee-chan?"

"Who else? Would you like some breakfast?" Tohru suggested.

Kisa nodded, taking a seat next to Tohru. They both smiled, enjoying breakfast together, something they hadn't done by themselves since before Kisa's birthday party. A light conversation passed between the two sisters all morning until an hour before noon, when Tohru made an excuse to leave to get ready to go see Yuki.

-------------

Yuki sat on the palace steps obviously bored out of his mind. Resting his chin on the palms of his hands, Yuki stared blankly ahead of him at nothing in particular. Sundays were his day off, a day he now usually spent with Tohru but this morning since she wanted to meet around noon, he had nothing to do.

"Did the ever so cruel sun disturb your slumber and force you to awaken dear brother?" Ayame asked as he plopped himself down beside Yuki.

"What are you doing here?" Yuki asked dully.

"I, who am number one at spending time with a younger brother, am here to grant you the honor of being around my presence all day!" Ayame announced.

Hearing these words Yuki grimaced not wanting to spend a whole day with Ayame. Ten minutes was too long for him to listen to Ayame, he'd die if he spent a day with him. Kyo walked past holding a rather large bag across his shoulder. He appeared as if he was leaving, this was something Yuki was jealous of, Kyo's freedom to come and go as he pleased without consulting anyone when Yuki had to sneak out.

"Kyo, are you going into town?" Yuki questioned spotting the big bag.

"Yeah, what's that gotta do with you?" Kyo responded.

"I'll join you," Yuki told him.

A golden opportunity not to see Ayame, he couldn't let slip by him. It was perfect! He hated Kyo as much as Ayame, maybe even more, but it wasn't like Kyo clung to him as much as Ayame did. Besides he needed to go to town to meet Tohru later anyways. This way he wouldn't have to sneak out or even make up an excuse.

"Whatever, just don't get in my way," Kyo muttered,

"Yuki!! This day is meant for us to spend together, a most perfect opportunity to learn about each other!" Ayame whined.

"Why don't you spend the day by yourself and you can tell me about it later? It'll be like we spent the day together," Yuki suggested.

"Fine idea! I shall fill you in with the details of my glorious day after dinner!" Ayame decided.

"Whatever…" Yuki mumbled following Kyo out of the castle.

At the center of town Kyo emptied half the contents of the bag onto the ground. They both stood as the center of attention. Jewelry gleamed, along with gold coins and other valuables tossed messily in a pile. Easily people grew interested looking at them. Their good looks, not to mention the riches loitered in front of them, got the attention of everyone around. Yuki moved his eyes from the riches to Kyo wondering what he had planned.

"Did they actually let you take all of this?" Yuki asked staring at the pile.

Kyo shrugged not really caring one way or another.

"Okay weaklings! Whichever one of you can beat us will get everything here! Use whatever you want! How many people… Whatever! I don't care. I'm looking for a challenge, so don't hold back. For now we aren't anyone special! Just try and beat us! Come like you're ready to kill!" Kyo declared.

Yuki almost fell over when he heard this along with everyone else around. Kyo glared at Yuki with a look like this wasn't anything new. It was anyways, something he did on an almost regular basis. About every other week he'd head out to a town nearby on a Sunday afternoon with the same bag of treasures laid out in front of him daring anyone to challenge him. Because no one could even lay a finger on him throughout the hundreds of cities and towns around them, he never needed to get any new shiny items people liked. If he was lucky someone worth fighting would be within this place but he doubted it.

"That seems like a good deal…" A buff man muttered as he cracked his knuckles confidently.

"All we have to do is beat the scrawny rich boys?" mumbled another bulky man.

Seeing how caught off guard and shocked Yuki was by what Kyo said they naturally assumed he couldn't even defend himself. They both looked too thin to be as strong as Kyo made himself out to be. Kyo's eyes filled with burning fires, angry at what the men said about him while Yuki shook his head with half confusion. Fighting wasn't his hobby; he wasn't fond of hurting people unlike Kyo who considered this part of his training to defeat Yuki.

"Hey! Be careful! That's prince Yuki and his orange haired cousin!" exclaimed a thin, frail-looking woman.

"He said to fight them and not to hold back," Argued another muscular man.

"That's right! So c'mon!" yelled Kyo.

"Fine! Remember you asked for it!" the powerful looking man shouted whilst charging at Kyo.

Kyo smirked dodging all of his attacks easily before kicking him in the gut. The wounded man groaned and collapsed. The other men and women around stared in shock, surprised that Kyo had won without even breaking a sweat. He scanned the crowds frowning when he didn't find anyone who appeared strong enough to last five minutes in a fight, except for Yuki but then he would be the one who couldn't last five minutes.

"Don't hurt them too badly. If all the men are hurt then who'll do their jobs?" Yuki reminded coolly taking a look at the now unconscious man.

Kyo didn't respond, he walked over to the bag and pulled out a pouch overflowing with gold coins. He tossed it onto the pile asking, "Is that the best you got?"

The rest of the men sneered pounding their fists against their palms as they stepped forward. More gold seemed to get them worked up but neither Kyo nor Yuki got scared.

"We won't fight dirty. We'll take each of you on one by one. Just don't go crying home to mommy," The buff man warned them.

"Fight dirty… Take us on all at once… It doesn't make a difference to me…" Yuki replied standing there calmly with his eyes closed.

"Don't get cocky pretty boy. I won't go easy on you just because you're the prince. In face I'll rub your defeat in your face every time I see you," threatened the guy.

The man ran towards Yuki attempting to kick him. Yuki sighed as he stepped towards the right and flipped the large man over. He landed harshly on his head, his legs straight up to the sky for a full minute before he fell backwards. That was an interesting defeat, Yuki stared at the ground where his head had been wondering how he had been upright for so long. The dirt beside the sidewalk had a dent in it, which Yuki assumed was what kept him up for a little bit. He hadn't meant for him to go that far or harshly but it was better then having him land on the concrete he had to admit.

"Remind me why I'm here again…This is boring…" Yuki muttered to Kyo.

"I never asked you to come! Just go back and spend you day with Ayame if you're so bored!" Kyo snapped as he punched a guy twice his size in the face.

The guy fell over clutching his nose in pain. Most of the men who had originally come to fight backed away forming a circle to watch instead of fight at this point, not wanting to get hurt. Kyo got pissed that he had just lost most of the people that would have fought had chickened out. He was beginning to think he should have picked a different place to get his training at. Too late to go anywhere else now, his lessons with Kazuma would begin in an hour. There wasn't enough time to go elsewhere if he wanted to be on time.

"Maybe I will… Your hobbies are boring," Yuki yawned.

"Shut up! Stop insulting me!" Kyo yelled.

"I was just stating the truth, Fighting these men are a waste of time, they're even weaker then you. If anything my senses get dulled from fighting you," Yuki breathed.

"Do you wanna fight?!" Kyo shouted.

"What? Did you not hear a thing I just said?" Yuki asked.

"Bring it on sissy boy!" Kyo cried.

"I thought you'd get tired of losing all the time but I guess not…" Yuki retorted.

"I'll kill you!!!" Kyo screamed.

A tall, lean man decided to attack Yuki from behind. He pulled back his punch preparing to punch Yuki in the head. Yuki turned around, grabbing his arm before he made contact, lifting him up and tossing him over his shoulder at Kyo, knocking both of them down. Dusting off his hands he smiled when he spotted Tohru a good distance away. She was right on time; it was a few minutes before noon. No point in continuing this here if he could be with Tohru instead.

"Take whatever you'd like," Yuki gestured to the pile of valuables on the ground.

"HEY! Don't just give them away! I worked hard to get them!" Kyo snapped jumping to his feet.

"Well, get them again…"

"Maybe I will!"

"I don't care… I'm leaving…" Yuki muttered, pushing his way out of the crowd. The group of people moved away letting him through. When he got through they closed back the gap cutting Yuki off from Kyo's view.

"Get back here! We're not done fighting! Where do you think you're goin'?" Kyo yelled.

"That's none of your business," Yuki responded continuing to walk away.

Kyo scowled angry that he had missed his chance at a fight. When he looked back all the valuables were already gone and the crowd had vanished, going back to what they were doing before. He couldn't remember who was in the fight nor could he seeing any traces of the treasures. He gripped the empty bag in which he had carried everything in shouting, "HEY!"

Looking around again he found Yuki nowhere in sight. Kyo angrily stomped back to the castle fuming. Yuki spotted Tohru looking around side to side for him. He snuck up behind her, covering her eyes with his hands. She gasped falling backwards slightly hitting his chest with her shoulders. He kept his balance, helping her remain standing.

"Guess who?" He whispered into her ear.

"Yuki!" She guessed, recognizing his voice. She grasped his wrists with her hands trying to pry them from her face. It sounded like him, and who else would approach her in the market? Tohru hoped it was him, if it wasn't she'd feel extremely guilty not only that but if they asked her who Yuki was she wouldn't have any clue what to say in response.

He slid his hands from her eyes smiling as he said, "Boo…"

"You scared me!" Tohru cried releasing her hold on his wrists.

"I'm sorry… Will you accept my gift as an apology?" Yuki asked as he slipped a small, silky, white, draw-string bag into her hand. That was one way to give a gift, but it wasn't an apology gift, he hoped she knew that. He realized now that he never actually knew how he would of given this to her if he hadn't frightened her. This worked out just fine for him. Tohru stared at the present instantly feeling reprehensible for not having a gift in return.

"You didn't have to-!" Tohru exclaimed trying to hand to silk bag back to him.

"I wanted to," Yuki replied firmly, silencing her protests and closing her fingers around the bag securely.

Tohru stared into his warm grey eyes for a minute before looking back down at the present. It was sweet and considerate of him, she had to admit but how could she accept a present for no occasion. She wanted to take it but her guilt grew for feeling that way. But seeing the way he looked she didn't want to disappoint him either. Her choices were limited; if she accepted it she'd feel bad but if she didn't he'd be the one feeling somber.

"Open it…" He told her with a smile.

She glanced down at the bag; her decision was made, she couldn't bear to see any amount of sadness in his eyes. Slowly she drew the pink ribbon out her lips curving up happily. Tohru pulled her hair back holding it in place with the soft ribbon immediately. This would be something she'd cherish forever, not only was it bewitching but it was also from Yuki. If she could she'd wear it everyday but that'd make Haru and Kisa suspicious.

"It's so beautiful! Thank you…" Tohru beamed twirling around. Her hair danced around with the wind flowing around her. Tohru giggled brightly feeling her spirits soar.

"I'm glad you like it. It matches your dress nicely as well," Yuki added noting the pink dress she had on.

"Thank you…" Tohru repeated softly after subconsciously planting a gently kiss on Yuki's cheek. Tohru flinched, blushing withdrawing quickly and looking away. She turned away from him, too embarrassed to face him. His cheeks flushed a light pink though he was still smiling. Yuki came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her thin shoulders.

"Thanks…" he murmured into her ear.

His lips brushed against her skin, his breath ticking her ear. The soft touch sent shivers down her spine. Her cheeks turned a darker red making her stare down at her lap in attempt to keep him from seeing how bashful she was. Yuki laughed lightly moving out of her comfort zone and sitting down on the grass beside her. He peered up at her, lacing his fingers with hers he tugged her down to take a seat with him. Tohru's eyes widened from his touch, realizing her over modest actions her cheeks flushed.

---------

Yuki sat on the steps, half listening to Ayame's stories of his day. He began to regret suggesting this to him. Ayame babbled on for the slowest hours of Yuki's life. With the urge to run away he forced himself to sit there, trying to focus on the fading sun. His attempt to drone out Ayame's words was not going as well as he hoped. Yuki gripped the ends of his hair wondering how Ayame could have so much to talk about for one day. He did tend to over exaggerate things but this was just too much.


	11. Moonlit Angel

(This continues from the last chap)

The short orange haired girl ran towards the white haired teen in the distance. Haru was walking around the castle gates with a blank face. A small grin spread across Kisa's face as soon as she saw him, she had been looking for him for over half an hour already. He didn't have a spot he favored to be at which made finding him a wearisome task. Sometimes it took her hours to find him since he tended to get lost easily as well.

"Nii-san!!!" Kisa called running towards Haru.

"What do you need?" Haru asked stopping in his walk to face her. Upon his face was a dazed look, an expression that usually signified that he was deep in thought.

"Onee-chan didn't leave this time!" Kisa exclaimed happily.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I actually got to have breakfast with her this morning!" Kisa smiled.

Kisa strongly believed that Tohru was still at home and wasn't going to leave anymore. Haru on the other hand didn't, though he didn't let her know that. He wanted to let her have her hope; he wanted her to have faith for now. She didn't have to think being royal was bad yet, he didn't want her to run away for a few years at least. Truthfully he didn't think she would want to leave but he also didn't think Tohru would ever sneak out, this just proved how unpredictable people were. He was their older brother, his job was to protect them and keep them from making the same mistakes he did when he was their age. Haru felt like he was failing at his job as of now.

"That's great… But where is she now?" Haru asked.

"Taking a nap," Kisa answered.

"And when did she tell you that…?"

"Three hours ago… Why?"

Haru didn't respond. Knowing the situation a little better than Kisa he highly doubted Tohru was taking a nap. He had run away from home himself plenty of times before though he knew she was leaving for a different purpose. When he was younger he ran away for the heck of it, he wanted freedom, he wanted to be rebellious. Tohru wasn't the type to want those sorts of things and one thing proved that, she returned home each and every time so far.

"You think she left… Don't you?" Kisa asked.

"It's a guess but the last time you did see her was three hours ago," Haru replied rather calmly.

Meanwhile Tohru was crawling through her window. Losing her balance she toppled down into her room clumsily landing with a thud. She sat there on her knees for a second before what happened fully registered in her head and she started to feel the pain. Tohru rubbed her red knees to try and soothe the burning pain, it had little to no effect but she ran her hands over them anyways. For a minute she remained in that spot until a bit of the pain had eased away. She got up looking down at her legs; there were no cuts or scraps, just red skin that was slowly turning a light shade of purple. Bruises would replace the scarlet spots later, luckily her dress was long enough to hide them from Haru and Kisa. Kisa would worry over her minor injury and Haru might scold her for being so clumsy, depending on what mood he was in.

"Ow…" Tohru muttered.

Tohru turned around and shut the window, locking it. She sighed, trying her best to straighten out her dress before she made her way over to the door. It was about time she showed her face around to make sure no one thought she had died in her sleep or something along those lines. Opening the door she found Haru and Kisa standing out there just about to enter, their hands both held out ready to grab the door knob. Her eyes widened either from shock or fear or maybe both. Kisa's eyes held the same look whilst the man beside her had no expression change.

"Onee-chan!" Kisa exclaimed.

"Kisa? Nii-san? What are you both doing here?" Tohru asked.

"We were just going to check on you," Kisa responded.

Tohru smiled but was going into a state of panic inside. Her mind went crazy, thinking up every single scene that could have happened if they entered a few minutes earlier. They wouldn't have found her taking a nap as she said she would be, or even worse they might have caught her climbing through the window. If that happened, there was no doubt that she would end up telling them about Yuki then that would most likely be the end of her trips to see the handsome man. Just that thought convinced her to be twice as careful to make sure nobody ever caught her.

"How about we get a snack? I'm hungry!" Tohru suggested trying to get their thoughts away from her.

"Okay! I'm hungry too!" Kisa replied placing her hand on top of her small stomach. Like Tohru she hadn't eaten since breakfast, now was at least a few hours after.

"You two go ahead, I'm not hungry," Haru told them. Unlike the both of them he had awoken a couple of hours later and had a late breakfast. The meal could have been called lunch considering what time he had eaten it.

"Alright," Tohru and Kisa chirped in unison.

Tohru and Kisa turned to leave together when something caught Haru's attention. Yuki's gift to Tohru, the pink ribbon, stuck out in her dark brown locks. Being her older sibling he knew what she had and what she didn't. This ribbon wasn't something he had ever seen in her hair before until this moment not to mention how new it looked. Suspicions began to fill his head; it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that it was from a guy.

"Tohru, is that a new ribbon?" Haru questioned pointing to the pink ribbon tied in her hair. He had decided to start with a simple question, both to keep her from freaking out and because he didn't feel the need to have to find out what she was doing or who she was meeting at this exact moment.

"Eh...? Oh you mean this? Yes, it is new!" Tohru answered.

Looking at the ribbon Kisa smiled, "That's beautiful Onee-chan! Who gave it to you?"

"A friend…" Tohru replied vaguely.

Before they could ask her about her _friend_ Tohru darted away from there telling them she'd meet Kisa downstairs. Even with Haru's precautions they had both ended up getting her to put her guard up and flee from the scene. Kisa glanced up at Haru knowing all to well he hadn't just asked the question without reason. She thought about it, it took her a short while to catch onto his notion.

"Do you think her _friend_ is the person she'd been sneaking out to see?" Kisa asked Haru.

He just shrugged.

----------

A little over a week later Tohru sat on her bed awaiting nightfall. Chewing on her lip out of anxiety she glanced at the clock on top of her nightstand every minute. There was a lot for her to be excited and nervous for, today was another day she was going to spend with Yuki or night. She knew the guy pretty well but she was still uptight around him. He seemed too perfect, too beautiful, too everything for her yet she still wanted to keep him to herself and away from every other girl. Tohru felt possessive though she hadn't realized it yet. Subconsciously she felt the urge to be better, for the chance that maybe she'd be good enough for him. She glanced down at the light purple dress she had on hoping it looked alright on her.

_After spending the day together Yuki was walking Tohru home as usual. They were taking the short cut through the forest. Peering to her side Tohru spotted the lake about half a mile to her right. Tohru sighed looking out at the scenery slightly depressed she looked away from the body of water. Yuki turned to her noticing the change in her attitude. _

_"What's wrong?" Yuki asked worriedly._

_"Nothing… I was just thinking how pretty the lake would look at nighttime with the moon shining down on it," Tohru replied with a faint smile shifting her eyes to look up at his face. _

_"I'm sure it would look lovely…" _

_Tohru looked down at the road, a thought rattled her. Hesitance started to build up within her as she tried to work up the courage to ask him what she wanted to. Chomping down on her lip she froze in her place. Yuki paused, feeling that she wasn't walking anymore he whirled around giving her a confound look wondering why she had stopped. He took a step back to her grazing her cheek with his forefinger in attempt to bring her out of her thoughts. Her jaw dropped open about an inch feeling his touch. She stared up at him timidly closing her mouth. _

_"Umm…"_

_"Yes… Is something the matter?" _

_"Umm… Would you like- Will you please join me here at night sometime? I mean would you please consider the possibility???" Tohru asked a bashful smile planted across her face. She bowed her head unable to meet his gaze; she didn't even know why she was requesting this of him but her mental images of how the lake would look with a white moon above it gave off a siren's call to her luring her to it. _

_Yuki smiled warmly answering, "I would love to… And I thought I would have to keep doing you favors so you would come meet me." _

_"No… All you have to do is ask… I really enjoy your company!" Tohru admitted shyly. _

_She began to walk again now that he had agreed to go with her, she felt relieved and happy. Yuki started up after her keeping in pace with her deciding to make the plans now. He preferred to come up with the next date they'd meet in person than over the phone. It felt more personal this way, talking to her, with her face less then half a foot away made it a lot less complicated to read how she felt exactly about plans and such and what she **really** wanted to do. _

_"I enjoy being with you too. I'm glad you asked. When would you like to meet?" _

_"Well I heard there's a full moon tomorrow… So I was hoping we could go then…" Tohru said softly._

_Yuki nodded liking the sound of being with her when there was a full moon out. It sounded romantic enough, he was glad he wasn't the one who asked her to come along with him at night. With this set up she had no reason to believe he was some sort of pervert for wanting to meet up in the dark. He probably wouldn't have asked her to see him at night anyways, getting together at night was both beneficial and not at the same time. Darkness would help hide them away from onlookers and such but it also held many dangers like robbers and rapists. There was no way he was going to let her walk alone. _

_"Alright, how about I come pick you up at midnight?" Yuki suggested. _

_"Eh?! You don't have to go to all that trouble!" Tohru exclaimed. _

_He shook his head not wanting to argue with her while at the same time not wanting to tell her why he didn't want to let her come on her own. If he told her that he was afraid that someone might attack her she'd be terrified, probably too frightened to even come. That was an easy way to ruin a date. Yuki would rather not have her worry about the small chance of that happening, he'd just walk her there and back to protect her instead. _

_"It's dangerous for a girl to be out alone at night. I'll meet you here tomorrow at midnight, okay?" Yuki told her as they arrived at her palace. _

_"Okay… Thank you… For spending the day with me and for walking me home… See you tomorrow night then…" Tohru replied as they arrived at the side of her castle. He knew that she snuck in so he knew exactly where it was most convenient to drop her off. She didn't know what he knew or suspect anything from his actions. As usual she was oblivious to this kind deed. _

_"See you then…" he nodded smiling before waving to her, turning to leave. _

Tohru stared out the window at the full moon. The old clock in the parlor downstairs rang a low sound that could be heard from her room signaling midnight. She quickly scampered out the window and down the rope, descending to the ground. As soon as she crawled out the secret exit she began her search for Yuki. Feeling a hand grasp her shoulder Tohru let out a soft shriek, losing her balance she started to fall when she felt strong arms wrap around her waist catching her before she made contact with the ground. Tohru gazed up at the concerned face above hers. Yuki held onto her with fretful eyes, not meaning to scare her.

"Are you alright?" Yuki asked, still holding her up as he peered down at her face.

"Yes Yuki-kun… You startled me but thank you for saving me! I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble already…" Tohru replied apologetically.

"No problem…" Yuki whispered helping her back onto her feet.

"Ready to go?" Tohru asked in a quiet but excited voice.

"I'm ready if you are," Yuki responded.

"Then let's go!!!"

They began to head towards the lake together carefully walking leaving no traces behind and making no noises. Neither of them uttered a word, both equally afraid of getting caught by one of the guards pacing around the castle walls. The guards were mainly around the gate, a good distance from them, but they were still cautious. She had already screamed, softly but they had to have heard it. It was darker then either of them anticipated. Even with the full moon above them the trees blocked out most of the light to their dismay. It was difficult to see where the other was.

"Everything looks so pretty at night… Don't you think so Yuki?"

The only response she received was the stillness of the night air. Tohru's brows furrowed with confusion wondering if she might have spoken too quietly. She couldn't see Yuki, but that was no surprise, she couldn't even see her own hand if she placed it in front of her face. What scared her was that she couldn't hear him respond, he couldn't have been tricking her for she couldn't even hear his footsteps.

"Yuki?" Tohru asked looking to her right and left.

"Yuki? Yuki?!" She called worriedly.

The shrill howl of a wolf could be heard. Tohru spun around but the only thing she saw was darkness and clumps of trees. She tried to take a deep breath and remain calm but her terror grew with each night sound she heard that wasn't Yuki. There was no chance he would have ditched her, was there? Tohru clenched her fists together trying to remain cool but finding it harder to do so then it seemed. She didn't know what to do; she didn't know what to make of the situation. Never being able to leave the castle meant she had never gone out alone at night, not once had she been lost. Now, she was at a loss of options, she had no idea how to find Yuki or where to look for him.

"Yuki!!!" She yelled running forward wildly beginning to panic.

Yuki flinched finally hearing Tohru's voice. He had realized she had wandered away from him a second before she did and had immediately began looking for her but finding no hints as to where she might have gone. At last his eyes caught sight of the brunette a few feet of him about to hit a tree.

"Tohru!" Yuki exclaimed grabbing her arm before she ran into a tree.

She fell back against his chests startled. Her eyes snapped open making out the figure of a tree less than half a foot from the tip of her nose. Yuki exhaled thankful that she hadn't crashed into the tree and broke her nose. Tohru's quick breathes began to slow as she gradually relaxed glad that they were back together again.

"Yuki, I was so scared! You were gone and I was alone!" Tohru gasped twisting her head up to look at him.

"Who's there?!" barked a guard who was making his way over to where they were with a flash light.

Yuki quickly pushed Tohru against the thick tree she almost collided with, placing his finger to her lips wordlessly telling her to remain quiet. The guard's flashlight cast a soft yellow glow that grew brighter with each step he made towards them. She could feel Yuki lean in towards her as the guard got closer. He was so near, she could hear his rapid heartbeat, inhaling she could even smell the sweet scent of soap clinging to his skin. Yuki kept his arms outstretched one on either side of her shoulders. Feeling her warm breath against his neck he did his best to focus on going by unnoticed by the guard instead of on her and how her radiance shined under the dim moonlight.

"Whoever's there you better not be up to anything funny. I advise you to get out now before we find you in the morning," The guard warned taking one last look before returning to the castle giving up hope in finding the intruder.

Realizing the awkward situation they were in Yuki blushed immediately shoving himself away from the tree. He took a step away from her looking at her grateful that the guard hadn't found them. Yuki hoped he hadn't invaded her personal space too much but looking at her now he could tell she was kind of spacing out.

"You can breathe now…" Yuki told her.

Tohru's cheeks darkened as she became aware that she had been holding her breath the whole time the guard was around. She released the air she had been restraining breathing rapidly to catch up her oxygen supply. Yuki laughed using his hand to try and stifle his laughter, not wanting the guard to come back.

"Hold my hand this time so we don't get separated again," Yuki added extending his hand out to her. Tohru timidly slipped her hand into his.

"Sorry… It's my fault for screaming!" Tohru apologized.

He smiled giving her hand a light comforting squeeze. Tohru peered up at him beaming happily as they made their way to the lake. Yuki could feel her grip around his fingers tighten as they went deeper and deeper into the forest. The thick canopy of tree tops began to block out more of the moonlight if that was even possible. Practically clinging to him she did her best not to walk or trip over anything. This was tricky seeing that she couldn't spot what was in front of her until it was an inch from her eyes. Yuki grasped his hand more firmly around hers after keeping her from tripping over another root. He knew they needed a way too see in the obscurity, he wished he had brought a flashlight.

"Wait here," Yuki told her softly releasing her hand coming up with a temporary solution.

"Yuki?" She called worriedly vaguely seeing him move away.

"Don't worry… I'm right here… I won't be going anywhere without you… Just don't move," Yuki reassured her.

Tohru bit her lip nervously unable to make out Yuki's form in the darkness. He felt around the air until he came upon a tree. Gently he peeled off a thin sheet of bark. She vaguely saw him crouch down with something in his hands. Attentively he rolled the film of bark into a narrow cone shape. Patting around on the ground he found a long piece of thin string like root, he used these to tie the structure together in several places. Next he chose a long sturdy branch and a smaller rough one he swiftly rubbed them together. A small fire lit up at the end of the stick, he used this to light the torch structure. Both branches were tossed aside after he made sure they weren't on fire.

"Better?" he asked standing up and holding it like a torch.

"Yes… Thank you…" Tohru smiled warmly.

_"So that's what he was doing,.. Making a torch so I wouldn't be scared…"_ Tohru thought feeling more comfortable already. She felt appreciative though guilty for making him go through all of that trouble for her.

"At this rate we'll never get there," Yuki teased her taking Tohru's hand with his right and holding the torch with the other.

The soft glow of the fire gave off a faint orange light around them chasing away the darkness. Yuki knew well enough that the fire would make it considerably easier for people to spot them but he didn't want her to be scared. He could easily see how much more relaxed she was with the lighting. It also made it easier for him to keep her from smashing into something or falling over. They continued quickly hoping they were far enough to be out of sight of the guards.

As the trees began to thin the lake became visible. The large moon had captured the area in a pale silver glow. A perfectly bright round moon sat reflected in the center of the lake. Getting closer radiant gold flickering lights from fireflies could be seen fluttering around. The only sound heard was the soft chirping from crickets. Tohru gasped, her eyes surveying the area trying to memorize every single detail.

"It's gorgeous…" Tohru breathed.

"It is a lovely sight…" Yuki agreed as he blew out the fire.

Tohru laughed dancing around in a small circle. Yuki couldn't help but smile. The bottom of her dress twirled around with her lifting high enough for him to catch a glimpse of her undergarment. His eyes doubled in size before he looked away ashamed. She halted glancing back at him with a wide innocent smile running back to him unable to see his flushed cheeks.

"C'mon!! It's fun!" Tohru exclaimed grabbing both of Yuki's hands spinning around him in a circle.

Tohru giggled dropping to the ground dizzily. Yuki joined her taking a seat beside her. He laughed shaking his head his embarrassment gone now. She laid on the grass her back to the ground peering up at him hoping he wasn't laughing at her.

"That was fun!"

Yuki smiled noticing that Tohru looked like an angel. The moonlight illuminated her face, giving her a pale complexion, the free floating silver stream making her lilac dress appear white. Along with her joyful eyes and her hair sprawled out across the grass he almost expected wings to sprout from her back and a halo to appear above her head. Tohru blinked finding him staring at her. She pushed herself into a sitting position.

"What? Is there something on my face?" She asked her hands moving around on her face frantically.

"No… Of course not… Just can't help seeing how beautiful you look…" Yuki replied.

Her face darkened out of embarrassment. She felt her cheeks turn fifty different colors as she looked away bashfully. Yuki chuckled quietly moving closer to her and wrapping his hand around hers. Tohru glanced up at him her face smiling warmly clutching his hand. He didn't say anything, squeezing her hand back in response, looking straight ahead, watching her out of the corner of his eye. They stayed there for a few hours enjoying being around each other watching the sun begin to peak up. Faint pink rays tried to lighten up the place failing miserably, being overcome by the dark blue sky. Tohru yawned stretching her arms towards the sky.

"Come on… Let's go before anyone notices that we're gone…" Yuki told her as he stood up and held out his hand to help her up.

Tohru nodded placing her hand into his.

----------

Kisa tiredly walked over to her bedroom window opening the curtains to allow in some sunlight. She peered out the window for a minute spotting a teenage girl with long brown hair running towards the castle. The girl bore a strange resemblance to Tohru; her hair was the same color and length and that dress she was wearing, Kisa could have sworn she saw it in Tohru's closet before. But why would Tohru be outside this early?

"Onee-chan?"

She rubbed her eyes and shook her head before taking another look but the girl was no longer in her sight.

"Am I seeing things? I'll go make sure that Onee-chan is in her room…" Kisa decided as she excited the room.

Kisa walked down the hallway to Tohru's room. Her hand reached up to knock. Realizing that if she was sleeping she'd disturb her she dropped her hand. As quiet as possible Kisa opened the door. Squinting her eyes, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. All the curtains were drawn, not allowing a single ray of light in. Kisa smiled when she saw Tohru in bed fast asleep, not noticing Tohru's flushed cheeks or the sweat droplets clinging to her forehead.

"It must have been a different girl with long dark hair…" Kisa concluded as she slipped out of the room.

**Asan-chan researched how to make torches! Yay!  
**

**You know you love that little review button! ;p**

** Tell me about all my mistakes and if they're OOC!**

**Oh and must ask for all your input and advice! You know Tohru's fiancee that will show up later... Do you guys prefer it to be a Akito or an OC? **


	12. Roses

**Did you read the last chap? Not many hits so check if you aren't sure! Don't want you to miss anything!**

Yuki was about to turn the corner when he saw his mother and father at the end of the hallway. He froze and turned around before they spotted him, He was about to run to his room but stopped himself realizing he couldn't avoid them forever. No matter what they did he decided he wouldn't hide or they would use him for their own selfish purposes. He wanted to show them he wouldn't let them push him around like a rag doll. The only way he could get the future he wanted is for him to start fighting now. Yuki took a deep breath walking down the hallway with both of his fists clenched in tight balls as he neared his parents. He quietly let out a sigh of relief when he passed them.

"Yuki!" a heartless voice called, beckoning him back over to them.

"Yes?" Yuki choked out trying to hide his anger as he glanced over his shoulder at them. Their expressions remained unchanged, retaining the cold strict appearance. He shivered slightly, a fear and hate of his own parents still lingered inside of him, and he detested that feeling. He hated being a coward but at least he was facing them. Most of the time he tried his very best to avoid them, they never had anything good to tell him. The best thing he had ever heard come out of their mouths was probably when they told him that his teacher got sick or something, at least then he got to sleep. Being a prince meant he had his own personal teacher who came five days a week six hours each to teach him pointless things he didn't care for but he had no choice, if he didn't go the slim freedom he had would be cut down to no time outside of the palace at all.

"Come here," they ordered.

Yuki obediently went over to them not meeting either of their gazes. Those eyes of theirs, they held no love that he could see, he loathed looking into them and feeling that lonely feeling again. The feeling that told him no one would ever care for him truly and that he didn't matter. Now he felt as if being with Tohru was the only thing that kept him sane. Looking back on his life prior to meeting Tohru he couldn't figure out how he was still able to smile. His brother, Ayame, didn't even start to care for him until recently, at most a couple of years not that he really cared whether Ayame worried about him or not.

"I don't want this disrespect! Greet your father and me properly!"

"Good morning Mother, Father…" Yuki told them, his eyes remained glued to the floor. It was a sad fact that the floor was more interesting to look at than their faces. Both of his parents exchanged a quick glance, neither of them liking this attitude change in him. They couldn't figure out what brought this shift about, a few months ago he wasn't so defiant. Back then he would do whatever he thought they wanted fearing the pain of punishment, his expression now didn't seem to care what happened one way or the other.

"That's better, now let me see your face," his father commanded grabbing his chin and abruptly turning his head so he could see his cheek. Yuki flinched; his face lurched from side to side as his dad examined the area where he had been hurt.

"Good… No scars… You can hardly see the marks anymore…" his mother commented coldly. Not one person besides Ayame and maybe Hatori found out that his mother had done that to him. She was good at covering things up.

"Too bad Princess Machi and her family have decided to spend the rest of the year across the seas. They won't be back until next spring. When they return though your engagement will begin," He informed Yuki.

Yuki jerked his head out of his father's hand. They really didn't care about his well being; they just wanted to make sure he looked fine for a stupid arranged marriage he concluded silently. That was the stupidest reason for caring about his well being he had ever heard. He honestly preferred them not being concerned then worrying about cuts because they affected his appearance. Maybe if he completely ruined his face they'd finally leave him alone but then Tohru might ignore him as well. She didn't seem like the kind of girl who acted like that but there was a chance she wouldn't recognize him. In the end he couldn't bring himself to do anything to his face. His father smirked at this.

"Is that all?" Yuki asked hiding his impatience.

"Yes…"

It almost seemed like his father was trying to warn him that this was the last year of freedom he had. Yuki frowned deciding not to get worked up about it just yet as he walked away.

-------------------

Two weeks later, his injuries had entirely faded off of his cheek. It was around noon when Tohru met him at the edge of the forest. He was currently tugging her through the forest like an impatient little boy. Tohru followed after him slightly dumbfounded, she had never seen him act like this before. To her he always seemed like such a calm and collected person not this hasty guy dragging her through the woods. She didn't even have enough time to enjoy the fact that he was holding onto her hand.

"Come on Tohru," Yuki urged.

"What? Where are we going?" Tohru asked.

"The lake," Yuki answered.

"The lake? Why?" Tohru asked trying her best to keep up.

"A surprise," replied Yuki.

"A surprise?"

He stopped abruptly letting go of her hand. Turning around to face her she could see that he was happy. The reason for his grins she didn't know but the smile suited him well. She tilted her head to the side curious to know what the surprised was. Yuki's expression turned more serious showing her that he wouldn't tell her what was in store for her. Tohru frowned feeling her eagerness double a quality not like her. Knowing him his surprise couldn't be anything bad, he had proved himself to be a charming and gentle guy too many times to count already.

"Yes… Close your eyes…"

"Eh?"

"It won't be a surprise if you see it… Don't worry! We're very close. I won't let you run into anything," Yuki reassured her.

"Promise?"  
"I swear on my life that I won't let you get a single injury," Yuki vowed.

Tohru smiled and closed her eyes trusting him easily. With him, she felt as if she had nothing to fear, it wasn't hard to let him guard her. She lifted her hands up gesturing for him to take them wanting the support and just to feel his arms against hers. Yuki smiled and held onto both of her hands. He eyed her peeking at him through a slit in her eye scowling at her. Her eyes shot open gasping never having seen him angry before. A grin played across his mouth seeing her panic. She let out a breath of relief before peering up at him innocently. He put his fingers over her eyelids sliding them shut.

"Promise you won't open your eyes?" Yuki asked her in a suspicious voice making her giggle.

"I promise…"

Yuki removed his fingers from her eyes after hearing her vow; he retook one of her hands, gripping it in his carefully guiding her to the lake. Keeping her near him he prevented her from tripping over anything on the ground. She clung to him biting her lip; she wrapped her hands around his arm securely. He looked down at her before gazing at the scenery, he beamed. He gently turned her around hold to face in the right direction. Slipping his arm out of her he whispered to her, "You can open your eyes now…"

"Tohru gasped, "They're so lovely!"

_A week ago Tohru was standing one hand out reached caressing a light pink cheery blossom on the sakura tree. A strong gust of wind plucked the blossom from the tree. She reached out and caught the blossom cupping it in her hands. Tohru smiled admiring the beauty of the petal, she was here, waiting for Yuki to arrive. It was a little earlier than the afternoon, he shouldn't have trouble waking up as she suspected. Little to her knowledge he was standing right behind her. He had been there for a few minutes watching her. _

"_Do you like flowers?" Yuki asked._

_Tohru jumped up startled releasing the flower, the wind snatching it and taking it into the distance. She peered back at him, fear and shock planted on her face. The terror faded quickly when she saw his face but the surprised remained. He stared back at her quizzically; she hadn't even known that he was back there. She glanced back at the horizon watching the blossom grow smaller and tinier for a second before turning her attention back to Yuki. _

"_You scared me!" Tohru exclaimed._

"_Sorry… I'll make it up to you," Yuki replied with a sheepish smile. _

"_Yes… I do like flowers… They're very pretty! I guess I've always liked flowers," Tohru answered his question._

"_Do you have a favorite flower?" Yuki asked running his hand down the sakura branch. _

"_Yes… I've always loved roses but they aren't grown here often, are they? It's a rare treat to see them," Tohru grinned._

_Yuki smiled plucking a blossom and placed it behind her ear. The light pink blossom decorated her brown locks well, going with her faint pink dress. She beamed looking up at him. His hands hovered by her face before pushing a few rebelling strands of hair back behind her ears with a grin. He was careful not to disturb the place of the flower. _

"_You are so cute," Yuki murmured soft enough so she could barely hear it._

_Tohru blushed, her jaw dropped, her mouth open to protest but no sound would come out. She was speechless, stunned silent. He had told her things like that before but they always managed to leave her timid. Yuki chuckled softly adoring how her bashful face looked. He already got ideas for how to repay her for scaring her. _

Yuki had planted a variety of rose bushes creating a border that separated the trees and the lake. Every kind of rose she could imagine was there, red, orange, pink, yellow, white, hot pink, dark red… Tohru ran around adoring all of her favorite flowers. So this was his surprise, it was the kindest thing anyone had done for her in her whole life. After he had heard that she didn't get to see roses often he had gone out and bought all the rose bushes for her. An entire day was spent planting them in their secret place with hopes that she'd enjoy it. She stooped down in front of a pink rose smiling widely. Placing her hands around a rose she brought her nose close to it, taking in the sweet fragrance.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Tohru cried jumping up running back to him and throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She exclaimed before giving him a soft peck on his lips.

Yuki's cheeks instantly became flushed. Tohru withdrew embarrassedly blushing. She focused her eyes on the floor, her cheeks burning darkly ashamed to have done that to him. He couldn't say anything; it was hard to believe that she had just kissed him on purpose this time. She took a step away from him shyly. Yuki leaned forward holding onto her shoulder stopping her from moving any further from him.

"Sorry… I was too excited…" Tohru muttered averting his gaze.

Yuki silenced her with a more passionate kiss catching her off guard. It was a dream, she had kissed him and now he was kissing her back. They both had the same thoughts on their minds. Tohru was taken back by his kiss; it didn't take her long to realize he was a good kisser. On the other hand it did take her a while to react to his kiss. By the time she remembered she was supposed to kiss him back he was already pulling away, breaking the kiss. He looked at her awed face touching her cheek wondering if he had done the wrong thing.

"Are you going to apologize every time you give me a kiss?" Yuki asked her playfully.

"…Not if you don't want me to…" Tohru murmured timidly wrapping her arms around his neck pressing her lips against his once again before he took her stiffness earlier as a rejection.

He placed one hand behind her head and the other on her back pulling her closer to him, deepening the kiss. His tongue parted her lips, she stood there flabbergasted. She had never kissed a man before; she didn't know what to do now. At least that's what she thought; her body knew what to do just fine. Her grip around his neck tightened, she started to fear that he would choke to death but she remained unfazed. They soon broke apart for air both a shade of dark red.

Yuki ran his tongue over his lips, the sweetness of her lips lingered, his whole body craved for more. He could swear her lips tasted of sugar or honey, something delicious and addicting. Not only the taste but the feel look and everything about her left him wanting more, another kiss or two, maybe ten. So much for the satisfaction of a kiss, he didn't feel content at all.

Tohru was almost shaking; her heart was racing faster and faster. She felt warm all over, butterflies going wild at the bottom of her stomach. She glanced at Yuki desire burning inside her. Tohru practically pounced on Yuki knocking him onto the ground attacking him with another kiss. He kissed her back before grabbing onto her waist and flipping her over so he was on top of her instead of the other way around. Supporting his weight with both of his arms outstretched on either side of her thin frame he bent over coating her mouth with warm kisses.

Yuki gently licked her lips savoring the taste before he moved down caressing her neck with his lips. A soft moan left her mouth before his lips returned to hers hungry for more. After a few more minutes they broke apart nearly breathless gazing at each other. The only sounds were their rapid pants tirelessly trying to pay off their oxygen debt. Her chest rose and fell in rapid movements barely an inch from his own. He kept himself positioned over her his eyes peering into hers. Tohru gazed back into his warm, dreamy grey orbs helplessly overwhelmed by emotion.

Continuing to stare into her wide brown eyes he questioned what he just did. That type of kissing so quickly, that attraction and lust was neither of them. It almost seemed like neither of them could control their own bodies.

"_It was just kisses…" _Yuki tried to reassure himself.

The gentle touch of his lips, his shy hesitant deep kisses lured her in like a soothing, enchanting almost mesmerizing song. Her pale slender neck and soft rosy lips, the sweet kisses made him feel new emotions that he had never experienced before; a feeling of want and need for something completely forbidden. He knew that being with her was never going to be allowed but that only served to make him treasure her even more. He uncovered a side of her she never knew existed, feelings that were blurry and hidden before are now so real and clear; that feeling was love yet she was oblivious to it. It was simple he was the one for her, like she was the one for him.

**Review for your review obsessed Author! And keep in mind the question from the last chap! Who do you want to be the arranged spouse of Tohru, Akito or an OC? **


	13. First Love?

Tohru danced around her room twirling around in pure bliss. He had kissed her. He had kissed her! Yuki, the handsomest guy she had ever laid eyes on, had kissed her, Tohru Honda! She still couldn't believe it. Tohru hoped onto her bed flopping down face first onto her pillow screaming her heart out the loud sound being muffled completely by her pillow.

She jumped out of bed filled with energy unable to remain in one spot for a minute. Swinging open her door she ran around the castle like an overly happy maniac but she didn't care. Tohru continued to race herself around until she crashed into her aunt. Her eyes widened in horror from her spot on the ground as she stared at her aunt who stood up with an angry expression across her face. Still Tohru couldn't completely wipe the grin from her face. A faint smile still lingered on her face though it went by unnoticed by the infuriated woman.

"Tohru! What is the meaning of this?! Proper princesses do not run around like idiots!" She snapped grazing her fingers over the top of her head to make sure nothing had been messed up from the collision.

"I'm sorry Oubasan… I won't do it again," Tohru murmured breathlessly.

The furious woman made an hmph sound before storming away not even bothering with a lecture. Tohru smiled again and hopped back to her feet dusting off her clothes. At least she hadn't gotten in trouble. She shrugged lightly about to continue down the hall when she heard an excited voice cry her name and felt someone latch himself to her side. Tohru nearly screamed from shock but glanced down at the blonde head and pair of honey eyes staring up at her. A breath of relief left of mouth as the color returned to her face, relieved to see that it was Momiji.

"Tohru! You seem happy today! Did something good happen?" Momiji asked in a peppy voice.

"No… Not really!" Tohru tried to lie adverting her eyes away from Momiji's.

He blinked peering up at the brunette before releasing her from the one-sided embrace. It was obvious that Tohru wasn't telling the truth. Her looking away from him was his first clue and her facial expression was his next. This was the first time he had seen Tohru look so happy in all the years he knew the girl. Tohru swallowed nervously seeing that Momiji was growing persistent.

"C'mon! You can tell meeeeeeeeeee right Tohru???" Momiji urged.

Momiji bounce around her trying to get her to look at him. She continued to look away, avoiding his looks. This was the point when Momiji started to guess, "Did someone give you a jumbo slice of cake? Maybe you got a lollipop?"

Tohru shook her head in response. He didn't seem remotely close to the reason she was so giddy. After his two guesses she became more calm letting herself believe that Momiji was too young to understand what she was going through even though he was only a year younger then him. Letting her guard down was her mistake, this signaled to Momiji that he could state his guess that she was in love.

"Then… Did you meet a guy? Are you in love?!" Momiji exclaimed clutching both of his hands together by his cheeks.

This was something Tohru couldn't deny no matter how hard she tried. She gritted her teeth trying to contain her smile and shake her head but she couldn't. Despite her efforts a warm smile spread across her face, her cheeks becoming flushed. Momiji's eyes lit up with cheer skipping around in a circle around Tohru glad that he was correct. That was his original guess after all, he just didn't want to say a guy first and scare Tohru off. He just wanted to be positive of this.

"Yay! I was right! You are in love! Yay!" Momiji cried.

"No! Er… I mean I wouldn't say lo-love! I haven't even kno-known him for that long…" Tohru breathed her face turning darker by the second after she realized what she had told Momiji.

The short boy was struck silent. He hadn't expected her to confirm his guess with words. She stared at the floor uncomfortably wishing a hole would appear underneath her feet and take her away from Momiji or better yet she desired all of this conversation with Momiji to be a dream. Tohru pinched her hand out of Momiji's sight wanting to wake up and go back to the world where she hadn't told anyone about Yuki.

"So it was love at first sight! Wow! Tell me about him Tohru!" Momiji whined.

Tohru glanced up at him shocked by his response. She hadn't thought about that before. To her love at first sight seemed to only appear in fairytales but it was what she experienced with Yuki, wasn't it? That was probably what drove her insane when she had to leave him for the first time, what made her feel compelled to find him again. Love was most likely the cause of her happiness at this moment.

"…He seemed very mysterious yet so sweet and caring… He isn't like other guys… I don't know… When I'm around him I just want to smile. He's very thoughtful, when we're together he makes me feel special, like nothing else in the world matters… But I don't know if that's love…" Tohru replied honestly beaming.

"He's your first love, isn't he?" Momiji asked innocently.

"How can it be love Momiji? I haven't known him long enough!"

"You don't have to know someone for long to fall in love…. Ah never mind! What's his name? What does he look like? When did you meet? Does anyone else know?" Momiji rambled on enthusiastically.

She stuttered bewildered by thee amount of questions not sure what to answer first. Tohru had a hard time even trying to remember what he had asked in the first place. She didn't feel secure about talking about Yuki with Momiji. Telling him that she loved someone was enough! He didn't have to know the man's name and what he looked like! Spotting Haru walking down the hall Tohru gasped. Together the two of them might tell her to stop seeing Yuki, that was something she couldn't risk.

"Um… I have to go Momiji! Don't tell anyone please…" Tohru choked out before running in the opposite direction from where she had seen Haru.

Momiji watched her run tilting his head to the side confound by her actions. Maybe he had pushed too far but she hadn't seemed to unwilling to answer his questions before. He didn't even know Haru was there until the white haired man tapped on his shoulder making him turn around. Haru had only been close enough to hear the last few lines which left him eager to hear more.

"Haru!" Momiji greeted him in an upbeat voice.

"Momiji… What was that about? Were you just talking to Tohru about a guy?" Haru questioned the blonde boy slowly wanting the truth.

"…It's a secret," Momiji whispered putting his finger to his lips before trotting off to the kitchen for more desserts.

Haru groaned angry at himself for even expecting a straight out answer from Momiji. It wasn't hard to piece together the parts of their conversation he had heard and figure out who they were talking about. There was no doubt the man Tohru described was Yuki. At least now he was sure that she was indeed sneaking out to be with someone. If he was the same Yuki he knew before then he had nothing to be worried about; Tohru would be safe as long as she was with him.

------------------

Yuki spotted Tohru sitting in front of the lake hugging her knees. She was staring off into the distance in a trance like state. He stood there for a minute trying to figure out what to do, he knew she didn't like to be scared and it didn't look like she heard him arrive. Tohru sighed, from his perspective looking at her back she didn't look as overjoyed as the last time he had seen her. He couldn't help but wonder if she really didn't want to be kissed by him or something like that. It didn't seem that way last week but maybe he was just too blinded by his jubilance that he hadn't noticed her anguish. Yuki crept up behind her, choosing not to overreact until he was sure of her own feelings, whispering into her ear, "I'm glad you like my ribbon…"

Tohru flinched, his voice bringing her back to reality. She giggled remembering that the pink ribbon from Yuki was indeed holding her hair back in place. He smiled, she wasn't mad at him. If she wasn't angry with him then what was with the depressed aura that surrounded her? Yuki's eye brows furrowed a little full of confusion as he moved to take a seat beside her. Her eyes never left his; a blush coated her cheeks as she thought about the kiss they shared. He didn't seem embarrassed by it; she wished she was as collected as he was.

"Of course I like it!" exclaimed Tohru wiping her sweaty palms on her dress in attempt to hide how nervous she was.

He surprised her by planting a warm kiss on her lips. Her eyes shot open at first but closed as she relaxed returning his kiss, her arms making their way to his neck. They stayed like that her lips parting for him, kissing each other for another minute or two before they broke apart desperate for air. Tohru slowly opened her eyes gazing at him feeling butterflies return to her stomach. She withdrew from him shyly wrapping her arms around her knees.

"Now that you're back on earth do you want to tell me what you were thinking about?" Yuki suggested peering at her.

"I was just thinking about mom and how she would love a place like this," Tohru smiled.

Yuki extended his legs out in front of him lazily. His mother would kill him for his improperness if she saw him sitting in this manner. That didn't matter around Tohru, she didn't seem to mind. It just showed how much more comfortable he was around her then he was with his own family, a sad fact actually. She seemed to love her family though, unlike him. Family love was still a mystery to him, he didn't really understand it but at least once in his life he'd like to experience it, whether it'd be in a year or two or even ten.

"I wonder sometimes… if she and dad are happy…" Tohru added, a hint of sadness in her voice, a small tear rolling down her cheek. Yuki glanced over at her shocked to see her start to cry. Her parents were dead, but wasn't it better to have parents who loved you and died rather then his parents? He got the feeling that that wouldn't comfort her at all and came up with something better to say.

"I bet… Right now they are smiling because they are proud of you. Watching over you, your quiet guardians will always be there to help you. So, I'm positive that as long as you smile and are happy they'll be glad," Yuki told her using his thumb to wipe away the tear.

Tohru hadn't even known she was crying until he brushed away the tear. She scolded herself for letting it fall. All day she had contained herself from sobbing so why now and in front of Yuki of all people? Most of the guys she heard about didn't like teary girls and he was the last person she wanted to get fed up with her. He didn't appear bothered by it though, he was different; maybe Momiji was right, Yuki was her first love. That's why she didn't want to cry and ruin her time with him with her weeping.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to cry, it's just that today is the anniversary of their deaths…" Tohru said with a faint smile.

"No… I'm sorry; I shouldn't have taken you away from your family on a day like this…" Yuki apologized.

"You don't have to apologize. We didn't have anything planned for today. We weren't going to their graves or anything. When I tried to bring it up Oubasan said she couldn't bear to remember her sister's death so they were buried far from here. I don't even know where. All their belongings were burned… The only thing I have left of mom is this necklace…" Tohru explained sadly.

He had never had anyone close to him die. Not once in his life had he gone to a funeral either. Because of this, he didn't really know what he could say to her to make her feel better. Yuki didn't really know what you would do at someone's graves, put flowers? Nonetheless, it still seemed rather wrong for her aunt to keep her from going if that was what she wanted. All he wanted was for her to cheer up. Her sadness disturbed him; he had trouble trying to smile to comfort her when she was on the verge of crying again. Yuki sat there thinking about what she had just told him before responding.

"But you don't need those things… Graves… Old belongings… They're worthless. All that matters is that you remember them… That deep down their memories rest in your heart. That's what's important…" Yuki replied gesturing to her chest.

"I know… But I never got to say goodbye to them… There wasn't a funeral or anything… We didn't even get to see them get buried… All I want now is to say good bye," Tohru whispered pausing before adding, "You know, is doesn't even feel like they were dead for a year. The only reason I know this is the anniversary is because Kisa and Haru told me. I don't remember much about when they died. It was like one day I woke up and they told me they died… I must sound crazy now…"

"Not at all…" He breathed wrapping his arms around her in a comforting hug. Tohru smiled gently leaning against him, her arms locked around his back squeezing him tightly to keep more tears from sprouting, in return his grip on her tightened in attempt to comfort her.

She wished they could stay like that forever. In his arms she felt safe, safer then she had ever felt in her life. Tohru stared up at him, he was too considerate. No other man she had ever known would have cared if her parents died. Or if they did show compassion it was a lie. Even she, being as dense as she was, saw through their acts. It was intentional for her to suspect them but they made it so blatant it was hard to think of their care genuine. Still she tried her best to act kind towards them not that she could help her naturally selfless personality.

Yuki sat there awkwardly holding onto her. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that she was staring at him. He peered at the lake not wanting to look at her in fear that his cheeks would grow darker then they already were. His mind went blank; nothing to say came to him but that didn't seem to matter. Together they sat in silence, equally comfortable with that. No words were needed to express their feelings to each other. Somewhere in the back of their minds they both knew what that feeling that overwhelmed their hearts was.

------------------

"Yuki-kou! Did you need something?"  
About twenty men were gathered in the grand hall bowing in front of Yuki. It was dark out the only light provided was from the moon. Yuki refused to turn on any lights and get the attention of his father or mother. This was supposed to be a secret, they couldn't learn of what he wanted. He was silent unsure of how to word his request without explaining his situation with Tohru.

"Yes, I would like you all to find something for me…"

Yuki briefly explained and tried to describe what he had in mind. It turned out more difficult then he had anticipated. No one dared to interrupt him or ask him any questions which he was thankful for. There was no chance that he would have the answers to the questions he imagined they'd have. He wanted them to find the graves of Tohru's parents. If they asked why he couldn't tell him it was because of Tohru, if they asked him for a more thorough description he wouldn't be able to provide it since he had never seen the graves. It seemed like a hopeless task but she had told him she didn't know where they were buried therefore finding the graves was something he wanted to do for her.

"Yuki-kou-!" The first guard was about to protest.

"No arguments. Get to it immediately. And not a word about this should be told to anyone or I'll deal with you personally," Yuki cut him off with a warning cracking his knuckles.

They all nodded in unison bowing again before leaving. Yuki closed his eyes crossing his fingers hoping that they'd be able to find these graves quickly. He wanted to be able to bring Tohru to them as soon as he could. It was late and dark out; it even looked like it was about to rain. Being the cruel prince he was he had told them to begin the search right away under these conditions. It'd be hard to find graves if there was no sun to help them see, it might have been more reasonable for them to start at day break tomorrow but at this moment Yuki didn't really care. As long as they found the graves their services would be paid off later. That was all he could guarantee.

**Asan-chan is terribly sorry for the delay in an update but tis not her fault since wouldn't let me upload a chap! T.T And the other half was the fault of my english teacher for making me write a research paper on shakespeare... Bleh... 8pages... not including the bibliography... Fourteen precious fanfic writing hours wasted... Anyhoo love me and review! **

asan-chan gets the feeling that she created way too many problems in this fanfic... for tying the loose ends up is taking a long time! XD the purple button LOVES you! review .


	14. Realization of One's True Desire

It had taken him a long, rough, and rigorous week to finally learn the location of the two graves. Yuki Sohma had spent hours searching for this place instead of sleeping. Every minute of night in which he was alone he spent looking for the graves. It was the most difficult task he had ever encountered, looking for something when he had no clues or hints of where to look. For all he knew the graves could have been across the ocean and he'd have no way of knowing. That was the main reason he was so thrilled and shocked to learn that the guards had found the sight so quickly.

In a way he was disappointed as well, that even with all of that effort the ones who had found the temple were his guards, not him. He cast those feelings aside since what mattered was that the place had been found not who found it. Today began his journey to take his princess there. With the intention of only pleasing her he had no idea if bringing her there would really please her or not but he was on his way to find out.

Instead of hanging around by the lake or market place today Yuki had called Tohru and told her that he was going to take her somewhere special. That somewhere where he wanted to take her had to be far away if they needed a car to get there. He had chosen the least flashy car that was at his palace which was still nicer than the average car. It was black, sleek and shiny as if it had been recently cleaned. Yuki sat in the driver's seat lazily driving to their destination. Tohru sat next to him with both of her hands on the window as she gazed out. At first she had thought he was taking her to some romantic place as a date, but from the looks of their surroundings she wasn't so sure anymore.

The dirt road they were going down seemed to extend forever. Looking down the straight path she could swear that they were the only ones to come down this road in a while. Neither of them had seen another car in the past half hour, and they had only started this journey forty minutes ago. Thick trees bordered the roads on either side. They sat close to one another; less than half a space of land was between the trunks of each other. The branches and leaves of the tops of the trees intertwined into one another blocking out a lot of sunlight. Without any street lights or any other signs of technology they both had a feeling that if they had come here at night it'd be one scary ride.

"Yuki, where are we going?" Tohru asked looking around at the unfamiliar scenery.

"That's a secret," Yuki answered beaming mysteriously.

Tohru looked at him curiously. He just smiled widely gently staring straight ahead at the road. After another ten minutes they slowed to a stop at a small deserted temple. It was the first building they had come across for miles, and it didn't look like there would be any other signs of human life for another few miles. Yuki reached for the piece of paper with a map and address scrawled across it. Looking up from the piece of paper to the crooked numbers on the temple he sighed and set the paper back down. This crummy place had to be the place where her parents were buried.

He opened the door stepping out of the car calmly examining the place for a second before walking over to Tohru's side and opening the door for her. As he did this one of the address numbers fell off the temple landing on the ground with a crash. Tohru jumped up in her seat from the sound nearly hitting her head, and she would have if Yuki hadn't placed his hand on her shoulder to keep her from going too high. She peered up at him timidly then stepped out scanning the outside of the temple quizzically wondering why they were in such a worn out place. This was no place for a date of any kind.

"What are we doing here?" Tohru asked.

Yuki just grinned not answering her question. Some things were better to learn on one's own. Besides he wanted this to be a surprise. Tohru headed to the temple knocking on old door; there was no response. He walked up standing beside her protectively. Not sure how safe this place was he didn't want to risk the chance of her getting hurt in any way. She slowly opened the door revealing an aged, old room. Inside everything was falling apart, spider-webs weaved across the corners, dust coated the room and the wood panels on the wall were peeling off. Yuki shuddered; the temple sure was freaky. The place was deserted; it was likely that no one had been inside for a long time.

"Come on…" Yuki urged her grabbing her hand.

She nodded deciding to trust him and let him drag her inside and out the back door. The door was held up by rusty hinges which squeaked loudly when he opened it. This place had the image of a haunted house or at least someplace where a ghost lives. The temple being an old graveyard for two people would have made the idea of ghosts a scary thought if Yuki had believed in them. Yuki didn't believe in spirits and such but he knew the burial sight of royalty, no matter how hidden, would be the target of many thieves. He held her close as if he thought a robber or someone would jump out of nowhere and take Tohru from him.

Outside rested collapsed old trees, dead, dry plants and too many weeds to count. They colored the bright spring surroundings a dull brown. It was hard to imagine that just outside of this place flowers and trees were in full bloom. In the center of all the mess sat a large, square object that appeared to be an altar of some sort, made of dark marble. Tohru glanced around curiously before she squinted and read the small engraving in the middle of the structure.

"Here lies the former King and Queen. Pay your respects…" Tohru read aloud what she could; the rest of the message was chipped off.

Tohru looked around with a confused face. Yuki knelt down in front of the alter clearing away the brown leaves and dry mud around the bottom of the structure revealing two plain tombstones made out of matching marble. Her eyes widened when she saw the names carved into the stones. She dropped on her knees staring at the graves in disbelief. He touched her shoulder trying to see if she was alright. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. Whether those tears were out of joy or sadness he couldn't tell yet.

"Mom… Dad…" Tohru breathed.

Shakily she placed her hand on the cold, flat stones. Her tears dropped on the graves as a smile formed on her face. Seeing the smile, Yuki let out the breath he had been holding in glad to see that she was happy rather than sad. Tohru traced the names Kyoko and Katsuya Honda. It was a miracle; Tohru couldn't believe she was here. This was the best place Yuki could ever bring her, the best gift he could ever give her. There was no way that she could ever be content with how many times she'd thank him for this. She had a feeling that no matter how many times she said those two words it'd never be enough.

"I finally found you both… I finally get to say goodbye…" Tohru whispered.

Yuki took her other hand which was freezing cold and gave it a light squeeze. It made all the effort he and his guards put into finding this temple all worth it. His guards had given him the map and directions thinking they had bent over backwards to find these graves but what they hadn't known was the nights he had spent in search for these graves. He hadn't slept much at all this past week, at most a total of thirty hours the whole week and, yet he hadn't chosen to rest. Instead he took her here the day after he learned of the location. Yuki had wanted to show Tohru right away, he didn't even take time to go investigate the place himself. Looking at Tohru now, he was glad he hadn't chosen to wait.

"I want you two to meet my friend who brought me here. He has helped me so much already… Mom… Dad… This is Yuki-kun…" Tohru introduced the man beside her to the two graves.

"You really have a special daughter…" Yuki said sweetly.

Tohru's cheeks flushed a light pink. Yuki smiled at her pleased to see that his choice of words had expressed his true feelings and brought a blush to Tohru's face. Those pink cheeks suited her face so well; they brought an extra ray of light to her beautiful face. She kept her face directed at the ground in attempt to conceal her red face she tried to find something she could change the subject to.

"I wish I had some flowers or something…" Tohru mumbled swiping the tears from her eyes with a smile.

"Oh! That reminds me… I'll be right back…" Yuki told Tohru as he got up and left her alone for a minute. He opened the door and exited but not before looking back and giving her a smile. Yuki walked to the back of his car quickly. Opening the trunk he rummaged around until he found what he was looking for, the bundle of roses he had picked from the lake. He had cut them just minutes before he went to pick up Tohru.

"Eh?"  
She cocked her head to the side slightly confused. Lifting her shoulders and letting them drop in a shrug she turned her attention back to her deceased parents. Tohru knelt down in front of them in a bow with her nose touching the cold marble. The brunette remained there for a moment in complete silence before she whispered, "Mom… Dad… I really really really like Yuki-kun… I don't know how to act in front of him anymore; I want him to like me back but… It's hard… He does so much for me like this and I have no way of repaying him. I don't know what to do…"

_"Just be yourself…"_

Tohru lifted her head in confusion. She could have sworn she had just heard her mother tell her the advice she hah always told her when she was in a crisis. In the loudest voice she could utter one word came out slightly above a murmur, "Mom…?"

Yuki paused before the door leaving his hand raised in front of the door knob. From inside he could hear Tohru speaking and didn't want to interrupt her. He stood there waiting until he heard silence. Yuki stayed inside for another minute before he opened the door and returned holding a bouquet of colorful roses. He walked over to her and extended his hand until the colorful arrangement was in front of her eyes. Tohru gasped happily taking the roses from him. It really did seem like Yuki had everything planned out for this trip.

"They're so pretty… And from the lake as well… Thank you… Mom and dad will love them…" Tohru smiled faintly as she held the flowers close to her face.

"Sorry… I forgot a vase or something to put the flowers in… I'll go look for one in the temple," Yuki offered. It was insane, after all he did here he was apologizing for not bringing a vase.

"I'll help you! You did so much already!" Tohru exclaimed as she set the roses down and got up to follow him. He waited with a small smile holding the door open for her to enter.

Together, they searched through the old rusty, mostly broken items that were left scattered around. It didn't look like there was anything that was in good condition left in the place. Tohru blinked picking up a vase on a table by her. A grin began to form across her face; the vase looked alright except for the broken top. She was about to call out to Yuki until she felt something furry touch her feet. The vase slipped out of her hands shattering on the ground. A scrawny rat scurried across the floor past Tohru. She screamed jumping back from the rodent.

Hearing her shriek Yuki whirled around worriedly asking, "Are you alright?"

Embarrassedly Tohru pointed to the rat, frozen in the middle of the floor from her scream, surrounded by the shattered ceramic. His eyes drifted from the rat to Tohru before he smiled finding her unharmed. Yuki burst out laughing clutching his stomach. He laughed partially because her expression was beyond description with words but also because he couldn't help but be drowned by his own relief.

"It's just a rat!" Yuki choked out in between laughs.

Tohru timidly looked down as the rat ran away.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to laugh," Yuki apologized running his hand through his silver locks.

Tohru chewed the inside of her cheeks flared a dark red. He frowned not wanting her to feel so nervous anymore. Looking around the room he searched for something interesting he could point out to distract her. His eyes settled on exactly what they had been looking for in the corner of an old bookcase. Yuki leaned over and grabbed the plain gray vase that he just found. Wincing he realized the top of the vase was chipped. The sharp uneven ceramic pierced his skin leaving a cut across his palm. His eyes widened momentarily accidentally drawing Tohru's worried brown orbs over to him.

"What's wrong?" Tohru asked noticing his change in nature.

"Nothing… I got a vase. Let's get out of here," Yuki told her forcing a smile and ignoring the pain running through his left hand.

He didn't want her to worry. Thinking it was just a small scratch he decided not to bring it up. Tohru stared at him for a minute not fully believing the answer he gave her, but on the other hand she was delighted to see that he had found a vase to hold the flowers in. She didn't move until he passed her and grabbed her hand with his unharmed hand tugging her out of the temple. Yuki led her back to the grave site with a weak smile. Setting herself before the graves she held out her hand for the vase he was holding.

"Be careful, the top is damaged so it's sharp," Yuki warned as he gave her the vase.

"Yes…"

Her eyes widened when she saw the red edge of the jagged top. At first she thought it was paint but she frowned when she ran her finger over the warm liquid finding it still wet. Yuki hadn't noticed her discovery. He was busy unscrewing the cap of the water bottle for her to fill the vase with. He laid the bottle on the ground beside her ready to be poured into the vase.  
"Blood…" Tohru whispered looking directly at Yuki fixated on the red liquid.

"Nn? Did you say something?" Yuki asked.

"No…" Tohru replied with a smile as she crouched over in front of the graves with the vase. She pushed aside a thin layer of dirt and placed the vase down covering the base with a little dirt for support. Noticing the bottle of water she poured half of the water into the vase saving the other half so he could at least clean his cut. Tohru bit her lip trying to figure out a way to bring up his wound without being a complete idiot.

"Can you hand me the flowers?" Tohru asked placing the water back down and looking back at him.

Yuki nodded picking up the roses that sat in front of him. He held out the bouquet to her, but to his surprise she grabbed his left wrist instead of the flowers. Tohru decided to be impulsive and just allow her thoughts to drift away. Turning it over so that his palm faced upwards she revealed the deep cut that had turned a dark red with a hint of purple. A pain shot through his body making him drop the bouquet. The flowers hit the grass with a soft thud. She stared at the wound horror glazed over her eyes.

"You're hurt! Why didn't you tell me?" Tohru gasped.

"It's nothing…" Yuki mumbled pulling his hand back from her.

"How can you say that?! You're bleeding!"

Her eyes almost held red flames in them; the fire swaying in a nearly wild dance. It was weird; it was strange; she didn't understand her emotions. These feelings of worry and concern had been warped into an emotion she hardly experienced, anger. This anger had taken over her body, and she was left watching Yuki's face drop. She hadn't meant to offend him. Tohru's mouth opened and her eyes flashed with their normal kindness, but her irritated side got the best of her and refrained her from going soft.

"I'm fine…' Yuki muttered.

"Don't lie to me! Maybe I'm unreliable to you… I'm not that smart but even I know that you aren't fine!" Tohru half yelled out of concern.

"If it bothers you that much I'll bandage it…" Yuki responded ripping the bottom of his white shirt to use as a bandage seeing that he hadn't brought any bandages with him. He hadn't anticipated an injury of any sort.

Awkwardly Yuki held the strip in one of his hands before he started to wrap the white strip around his left hand. She peered at him oddly with a face of confusion. It seemed like the man before her had never dressed his own injury. Then again, what could one expect from a prince who had his own family doctor? Tohru was missing this picture though, not having any bit of information about Yuki's family or status. She did see him having trouble though. Feeling the rage once in her dwindle away her usual affectionate nature took hold once again.

"Let me help you…" Tohru said softly as she took the strip from him.

"This is going to sting..." She warned quietly looking over at the water.

She picked up the set aside water and poured it over the open cut slowly. He flinched slightly not expecting her to do that, but he remained perfectly still, not making any movement away from her process of cleaning the injury. When the last drop of water had dripped out she turned her attention back to the white strip and rewrapped it around his palm. Winding it around his hands a couple of times she paused before she tied the bandage carefully so there was just enough pressure to hinder the bleeding but not enough to cause him any pain. That was the best she could do considering that she had no soap or anything else to wash the cut with. Yuki gazed at her with a smile but she ignored it, her lips forming a rare straight line.

"Thank you… I'm sorry… I just didn't want to worry you," Yuki confessed meekly not wanting her to start hating him.

"… When you lie and hide your injuries it makes me worry more… Next time, please tell me, okay?" Tohru asked tears brimming on the edge of her eyes.

"Thank you for the concern… But please don't cry… Your tears make me want to cry…" Yuki murmured using his right arm to pull her into an embrace.

He kissed the top of her head lovingly brushing her hair back behind her ear with his right hand. She leaned against his chest wrapping her arms around his waist. Tohru pressed her face against him trying her best to keep her tears and concern inside. In a way she was being a hypocrite since she didn't want to cry and make him worry. Yuki stayed silent stoking her back gently. This girl, she was something else. She was the first person to show this much concern over an injury of his. Maybe that was one reason he didn't tell her he was hurt because he wasn't used to telling anyone he was hurt. That and because he preferred to see her smile than cry with concern.

"You're welcome…" Tohru whispered blinking away her tears.

That concluded his small adventure to show her what she wanted most. At least what they both thought she desired most at the moment but on closer inspection it clearly wasn't what her heart had ached for all this time. The two of them sat their in each other's embrace, the graves and flowers completely forgotten and pushed aside. In the depth of her mind what they both longed for was this small sense of security; the tender engulfment of safety they felt as soon as they were around each other. It was true that finding her parents was important, but it was more explicit how much more being with this silver haired man meant. Her parents still harbored parts of her heart but subconsciously she had given the rest of it to Yuki…

--------------------------

Yuki stumbled into the castle shortly after dropping Tohru off. He didn't feel well anymore. Holding onto the wall for support he stared at his left hand that was now pink and swollen. Yuki slowly unwound the bandage which was coated in sticky blood. The sight was disgusting; his cut had turned a dark purple, a bright red border surrounded it. Dried blood was smeared across his palm. The last thing he noticed before he collapsed to the ground was the pink lines running across his hand. Everything around him faded into the dark abyss.

**Do not fear! Yuki is... not gonna die since there is no way there are four hundred more pages of this story for me to type if I killed Yuki. But as for the question I asked a couple chapters back it was a close call between an OC and Akito. You'll find out who won in chap 16 I think. So review! Oh and please tell me your opinion on this Should Machi-chan (Who does not even appear until like page 200) be paired up with Momiji-kun or left alone?**


	15. Determination to Remain with One's Love

Yuki shot up sitting upright in a bed. He looked around, a confused expression upon his face. There was a big gap from the last thing he remembered to where he was now. He didn't recall ever going to the infirmary of his castle. The last thing he remembered was being with Tohru. She didn't know where he lived so there wasn't a chance that she brought him here. Considering her strength Tohru definitely didn't bring him here. But then who did? His thoughts were interrupted by someone who started to speak.

""Don't move too much, you'll give yourself a headache. You bruised your forehead when you fainted," A solemn sounding voice told him.  
Turning his head Yuki faced Hatori, the doctor for the palace and also his twenty seven year old cousin. Hatori didn't seem like the friendliest person in the world but Yuki knew that he was a lot nicer inside than he appeared to be. When Yuki was younger he remembered coming here very often because of his bronchial tubes. Hatori was always there then though his father would be the one who treated Yuki.

"Hatori? What happened?" Yuki asked pushing his bangs out of his eyes feeling the tightly wound bandage across his forehead.

"I should ask you that. A startled maid found you fainted, almost gave her a heart attack. Your cut on your left hand was infected. I'm guessing you fainted and hit your head when you fell," Hatori explained.

Yuki nodded vaguely remembering what happened. Now he started to understand. He remembered coming home now and falling down after he unwrapped his bandage. It made more sense now but he still didn't get how a scratch like that made him faint. Even if it was infected, it was just on his hand. Since he wasn't a doctor and Hatori was Yuki decided to believe Hatori over his own doubt. At least his hand hadn't been amputated. That would have been bad.

"So how did you cut yourself?" Hatori asked.

Yuki opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He closed his mouth as he tried to come up with a response that would satisfy Hatori but wouldn't give away his secret meetings with a certain brunette. He knew he'd have to think carefully before he answered. Hatori was very good at seeing through lies which made keeping the truth from the doctor an extremely difficult task. Before he could respond the door swung open and Ayame barged into the room unannounced. For the first time, Yuki was thankful for Ayame's unexpected visit.

"Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuukiiiiiiiiiii!" sang Ayame as he ran over to Yuki grasping both of his wrists in his

His relief that Ayame was here was beginning to dwindle away by his close proximity. Yuki held back a grimacing look since Ayame had unintentionally helped him. Still, couldn't his older brother save him and stay at least ten feet away? Hatori pitied Yuki for having a brother like that, but Ayame was one of the doctor's close friends though he didn't like to admit it. Having Ayame in the room kept Hatori from pushing Yuki for answers though.

"Are you alright? The painful look on your face has led me to sleepless nights! Worry is a hideous monster distracting me the whole time!" Ayame gasped.

"How long was I out?" Yuki asked pulling his hands away from Ayame.

"Two days, one hour and three minutes since you were brought to Haa-san!" Ayame answered rather proudly.

Yuki stared at Ayame in disbelief. It was a miracle that Ayame could memorize that, yet not remember a request, though more an order, Yuki gave him. Even Hatori seemed bewildered that Ayame had known that since he hadn't told Ayame that Yuki had fainted until after he had treated him. If only he could put his memory to good use, then Yuki might get some peaceful days for once in his life.

"My head hurts…" Yuki muttered rubbing his head.

"Now, now! Out with it! Tell Nii-san about the demon that has inflicted this terrible wound upon you!"

"I just scraped it…" Yuki lied. That was half true though. He had scraped it against the sharp vase from the temple. But of course he'd never say that aloud. That was like purposely falling into a trap. Saying that would lead Hatori or Ayame to ask where there was a broken vase in the palace, which would make him explain that he had gone to a temple, which in turn would force him to say he had gone there because he liked a girl named Tohru who wanted to find her parents. Just thinking about it made him a bit confound and dizzy.

"Where? When?"

"Recently… At the stables… I tripped over an old tool and scraped it against the sharp end of a pitch fork," Yuki continued drifting further from the truth than he was before.

"The careless fool who left the tool out! I will bring him to you and have him on his knees apologizing and begging you for forgiveness!" Ayame declared.

"You don't have to-!" Yuki protested but Ayame was already gone.

In the end, counting on Ayame to save him was pretty stupid. Ayame couldn't sit still for more than a minute which made Yuki angry for even thinking that Ayame would stay and keep Hatori from finding everything out. Yuki was silent awaiting Hatori's advancement. Hatori didn't say anything at first like he was picking out the perfect questions to ask. The time was beneficial to Yuki who was trying to come up with any excuses he could muster in this short amount of time. Anything would be helpful at this point.

"There was no tool… was there?" Hatori asked in an expressionless voice.

"Eh?"

Yuki's eyes widened as he bit his lip nervously. He wasn't ready to answer yet; he needed more time. Hatori was silent. Sweat droplets started to appear on Yuki's forehead. As each second passed he grew more nervous. There was no way around telling the truth anymore, but maybe he could get away without telling the whole truth. He'd leave as soon as he could; his legs felt fine enough to run away from this place. Good thing he had injured his hands and head and not his legs or he might be stuck here where Hatori could ask all the questions he wanted.

"Hatori, please don't tell anyone…" Yuki barely choked out.

Hatori looked startled but smiled, "What you do is your business… Whether I say anything or not you'll be caught eventually. I won't tell but I'm not helping you either. Just be careful for her sake, whoever it is you are seeing…."

"Thank you…"

An expression of relief passed Yuki's face when he heard Hatori say this. No one could understand how good those words sounded to him. He wasn't aware of how important seeing Tohru was to him yet, but it obviously meant enough to him to make him sweat when it was almost taken away from him. Subconsciously Yuki let a smile cross his face. Small signs like these made it easy for Hatori to guess that Yuki was seeing a girl he was clearing head over heels in love with.

"You should leave now before Ayame comes back… Rest though and come back in the morning," Hatori instructed.

Yuki nodded as he slipped out of bed and exited the room. He would gladly accept the permission to leave. A few minutes ago he thought he would have to convince Hatori that he was well enough to leave. Hatori tended to be over cautious but with good reason. If he didn't take proper care of the future heir of the kingdom there was sure to be drastic punishment. Now he had another reason, not many people knew this, but Hatori understood what it was like to be in love, and he would help Yuki stay well enough to see whoever it was he saw. That was the least he could do.

"Fight for your love Yuki…. Don't let it end like Kana and I…" Hatori muttered softly.

Yuki looked back but the doctor had vanished already, most likely to see other patients. Even though he only cared for people within this castle there were several sick maids and butlers. Usually servants didn't get seen by the same doctor as the royal family but to keep them in the best conditions so they could do more work, they did. But of course, the royal family was Hatori's top priority.

He shrugged deciding not to over think what Hatori said. It wasn't as if Hatori had spoken in some code that he could crack by thinking about it. There was clearly a story he hadn't heard before. Yuki shook his head, his silver bangs covering the bandage across his forehead. He could ask someone what Hatori meant and lucky for him one of Hatori's friends was coming by now. A dark haired man with a playful smile on his lips passed Yuki.

"Shigure," Yuki called to the man in the dark green kimono.

"What is it, my dear cousin?" the man turned around to face him, his dark bangs hiding his mischief eyes.

"Who is Kana?"

Shigure's eyes widened for a split second before he dropped the papers that were once in his hands. The sharp thud from the force hitting the marble floor rung loudly across the empty hallway as a couple of sheets swayed to the floor. For a minute, all Shigure could do was stare at Yuki in disbelief. Like many things, Kana was not a subject people brought up lightly and without reason. In fact, nobody spoke of her anymore which left Shigure pondering over who told Yuki.

"Whe-Where did you hear of her?" Shigure asked in a baffled voice.

"Hatori mumbled something about her… Tell me. Who is she?" Yuki demanded impatiently as he bent over to pick up some of the scattered sheets of paper.

Shigure dropped down beside Yuki reaching for the rest of the papers and taking the ones in Yuki's hands. He wasn't sure how to start this conversation. Shigure was a novelist which gave the hint that he was good at telling stories but tragedies about his own friends was something he had difficulty doing. Yuki stood up waiting for his answer. Hatori was his cousin as well as Shigure's so it didn't make sense that Shigure would know and Yuki wouldn't.

"Kana was Hatori's first love," Shigure sighed.

"What happened to her?"

"You see… She was a peasant, a poor girl. Hatori loved her anyways though. You see, their love wasn't allowed since Ha-san has royal blood. He didn't care though… So it was decided that Kana would be executed… No one has seen her since… That night was the first time I had ever seen Ha-san cry…" Shigure murmured the end.

"Oh…"

Yuki couldn't say anymore. He never thought that anyone felt as much pain and suffering as himself, but he felt bad for Hatori and his lost love. He knew now that he was pretty much being selfish and self absorbed before, only thinking of his own misery. It never occurred to him that these kinds of tragedies happened to everyone, future king or not. This pitiful excuse for a story from Shigure gave Yuki a lot to think about.

---------------------------

"Yuki? What's wrong?"

Yuki looked up at his angel, concern sprinkled across her words and worry coated her face. He smiled hoping that he hadn't been sitting there with a dazed look on his face for too long. Hatori and Kana still wouldn't leave his mind. He couldn't help but imagine what happened to Kana happening to Tohru because someone found out about their relationship. It was horrifying to think that one day Tohru could be executed, but she was a princess so maybe they wouldn't kill her.

Tohru's fate could even be worse on the other hand, since there was clear hatred between their families. Yuki knew his mother and father had his fiancée picked out but would they really get rid of Tohru like that to keep him from wanting to marry her? He could never tell Tohru what he was just thinking about. There was no doubt she wouldn't want to see him anymore so he'd be selfish and keep it to himself to prevent her from leaving him. She was like a drug, and he was helplessly addicted to her; he needed her.

"Nothing… I was just thinking about something," He smiled at her not wanting her to fret about anything else.

"How's your hand?" Tohru asked kneeling down in front of him.

"I'm fi- It hurts a little," Yuki replied deciding to be honest with her.

"I'm glad it's getting better!"

Tohru didn't comment but she was really glad that he hadn't chosen to tell her he was fine. His honesty meant a lot to her. It meant so much that inside she was jumping for joy. The truth just seemed to make her feel more special to him, and she wanted nothing more than to be important to him. Yuki looked up at her about to change the topic to something pleasanter but a cough stopped him. He covered his mouth as more coughs forced themselves out.

"Are you sick?" cried Tohru her worry reappearing across her face.

"No… I have weak bronchial tubes…" Yuki choked out between coughs.

"It's almost fall now so you should wear something warmer! The winds are starting to get stronger! I don't want you to get sick!" Tohru advised.

Yuki smiled and nodded. He was about to stand when his hands flew to his chest as another coughing fit began. Tohru leaned towards him fretfully stroking his back gently in attempt to soothe the coughs. His face started to flush a shade of red; he found himself unable to catch his breath. His short and choppy breaths came out less and less as coughs took over. Inside of him, his lungs burned crazily from the painful asthma attack. He felt energy vanish from his body making him lay his head on her shoulder for support.

"Yuki?"

Shifting over Tohru tried to look at his face to see what happened. He hadn't said anything or even moved in a while. When she maneuvered Yuki fell to the ground clutching his chest unconscious. Tohru shrieked jumping up unsure of what to do now. She chewed her lip worriedly unable to think straight in a time of crisis. It took her a minute to realize she should call for an ambulance. She thought about where a phone would be until she remembered she had her cell phone with her.

It all passed by as a blur, her numb fingers shakily dialing the number of the emergency room, the ambulance coming with the paramedics carrying him inside, arriving at the hospital, watching them treat Yuki and then sitting beside him waiting for him to open his eyes. She hadn't released his cold hand since she had climbed into the ambulance with him. Tohru lost track of time long ago even with the clock a few feet away from her. The window served as a good clock with the moon high in the sky but she didn't pay attention to it. She couldn't, not with Yuki in front of her unconscious.

She hadn't even seen the sun set being too fixated on Yuki. Tohru knew that when she got home she'd be in huge trouble for leaving the castle for so long without warning and for not at least calling back. At the moment she didn't care; all she wanted was for Yuki to open those gorgeous eyes of his. He hadn't woken up since he fainted in the afternoon. Tohru stared at him squeezing his unharmed hand tightly begging him to awaken.

Wrapping her other arm around her knees tighter Tohru frowned. She pulled the chair closer to his bedside and rested her head on an empty spot of his bed. Tohru peered at his peaceful face. He didn't look sick anymore, his face was back to its original pale tone, and no IV's were hooked into his arms nor were any machines to keep him alive. The nurses and doctors hadn't really dropped by after they forced an inhaler in his mouth. Her eyes began to droop, but she kept snapping them back open. She lost to her eyes in the end, letting them shut for what she thought was a minute.

Yuki stirred turning over in the lumpy hospital bed. The blanket that was thrown across him was rough and scratchy. He looked around the small room. All four walls were painted in a bland cream color, a few cushioned chairs were pushed against the walls, there was a dresser, an empty bed to his far left, and there lied a single lamp on a nightstand beside him weakly lighting up the room. It wasn't until his eyes caught sight of an IV stand and a heart monitor by the empty bed did he realize he was in a hospital room. Quickly he pieced together what he remembered and concluded that he had fainted, again.

"Damn… This keeps happening way too much lately…" Yuki mumbled as he pushed the blanket off of him.

Something under the blanket, which he had just thrown to the side of his bed, stirred. The lump grew bigger. Yuki stared at it half wondering if he was going to die and partially curious to know what was under there. He tried to pull the blanket off whatever it was under it but his hand was restrained. He really was going to die wasn't he? Someone had tied his hands up and hid by his bed until he woke up, didn't they? Normally he would have laughed at himself for even thinking that but right now he was jumping to conclusions and couldn't stop.

He couldn't calm himself down until a small hand poked out from under the mass and peeled the blanket off showing him a dumbfounded Tohru. She blinked glancing around the room a bit confused until she saw Yuki. It was only then did she remember what had happened. A smile instantly spread across her face when she saw that he had woken up, but she was a little embarrassed to be caught sleeping.

"Yuki-kun! Are you okay? Do you feel better?" she asked at once.

"Yes… I'm fine… This used to happen frequently when I was younger. It's not too serious so it wasn't necessary to bring me to the hospital," Yuki replied with a smile.

"Oh but, you fainted and I um… I wasn't sure what to do! I was really worried," Tohru admitted nervously as she turned her attention back to her skirt.

Yuki smiled as he gave her hand, which was still tightly wound around his, a reassuring squeeze. Her jaw dropped and her face flushed when she realized how tight her grip on his fingers was. She let go instantly letting his hand lie freely against the white sheets. Tohru stared at it as if to check if she had broken any of his fingers. He laughed softly and lifted it to her hand to show her his hand still worked. His hand moved to her hair fixing the tasseled mass.

Her hands jumped to the sides of her head in shock. She ran her fingers up and down to rake out the tangles and knots in her brown hair. Tohru silently yelled at herself for falling asleep and ruining her composure. Yuki simply smiled thinking she'd never realize how perfect she always look regardless of how she dressed or even if she brushed her brown locks or not. He repositioned his hand to the back of her neck and bent towards her as if he was about to kiss her but let his lips hover by her ear instead.

"Thank you for everything you did for me…" he whispered to her.

Tohru could feel her cheeks darken by the second. He pulled back with a grin across his face, and then he kissed her. She flinched, shocked by his actions, before she kissed him back. Straightening herself up, she locked her hands together around his neck forgetting how late it was. Yuki continued to kiss her, wondering if this made up for making her worry so much and for keeping her out so late. He knew just as well as she did how much trouble the both of them would be in when they went back to their homes. It would be especially bad if they questioned where either of them had been.

Leaning closer to Yuki Tohru could feel her legs leave the chair. Her eyes widened as she fell accidentally shoving him onto his back on the bed. His lips kept contact with hers. He didn't seem to mind seeing as he didn't stop kissing her. At first, neither did she until she came to see that she was lying on top of him, on a bed. That position was bad; this was going too fast for her. This made her break the kiss immediately and jolt back into a sitting position. Tohru bowed her head apologetically.  
"I'm sorry…" she whispered.

His eyes opened slowly as he raised himself up on his elbows. He arched one eyebrow wordlessly asking, "For what?"

She just sat there gazing at his handsome features before jumping up with a gasp. The moon in the sky reminded her of the time. Tohru jumped up in a panic. She knew it was late, but she wasn't aware that it was this late. Flailing her arms around trying to decide what to do at this point she dropped something wrapped in an envelope on top of Yuki's legs. He sat up and picked it up curiously seeing his name written in a curvy writing.

"What's this?" he asked her holding the envelope up.

Tohru froze turning around to face him. Her eyes shot open with signs of horror as her jaw dropped. She walked back over to him facing her feet a little embarrassedly. She had the feeling no matter how much she tried she wouldn't be getting the get well card she wrote for him back. Her intention was to leave it for him if he didn't wake up so that she wouldn't be around when he read it. Now that she thought about it, she had written some embarrassing things there. Tohru hopped up on the bed reaching for it but he held it just out of her grasp.

"It's nothing!" She managed to choke out.

"But my name is on it…" he started with a smile.

There would be no reasoning with him to give it back. She could tell that she'd have to take it by force if she wanted it back. Too bad for her his arms were longer and he was ten times more quick and graceful than she was. Her clumsiness was evident as she fell on his chest for the second time that night. Tohru attempted to push herself up and get the letter back but one of his arms held her down in a one-sided embrace.

"What is it? A love letter?" he guessed with a teasing smile she couldn't see.

Keeping her face pressed against his shirt she shook her head muttering, "It's a get well card…"

"Then… Can I open it?"

Giving up, she nodded her head. Yuki beamed but he kept an arm around her shoulders anyways. She made no attempt to stop him from opening the letter. Tohru kept her face on his chest waiting for him to read it and end her misery already. He ripped the top of the envelope carefully not wanting to damage whatever was inside. Hearing him pull the card out she burrowed her face deeper not wanting to know his reaction if it was bad. Yuki unfolded the simple card with a flowery design on the cover. What he was interested was not in the card but what was written in it.

_Dear Yuki,_

_Please forgive me if I didn't take you to the right place or something! I wasn't exactly sure what to do so I'm sorry! I hope you are feeling better! You really scared me but the doctor said I had nothing to worry about! If you are feeling up to it please meet me at the lake this Friday night!_

_I'll be waiting,_

_Love,_

_Tohru _

_P.S. Get well soon! ♥_

Yuki looked down at the brown head not understanding why she didn't want him to read this so badly. From his perspective there was nothing embarrassing about the card at all. He found it cute and comforting. Each word of it fit her personality so well especially the little heart she drew at the end. Glancing down at her he kissed the top of her head to let her know he had finished reading and liked it.

"Thank you…" he told her with a grin.

Tohru peered up at him with a faint smile. Once again she had forgotten that she was supposed to go. Yuki reminded her though but not because he didn't want her there; he felt the opposite, he wanted her to stay. He knew better than to keep her there. It was because he wanted to see her more that he let her know she had to go, for if she stayed out too late tonight today could be the last time he saw her. She pushed herself off of him shyly.

"I'll see you then," she told him as she hopped off the bed. Tohru stayed by his bed and kissed his cheek before making her way over to the door.

"Wait! Tohru, it's dark. Let me walk you back home," Yuki offered as he started after her.

"Ah no! I couldn't make you do that! You should be resting!" Tohru cried shaking her head.

"I told you before I'm fine. You can't expect me to let you walk home alone in the dark, do you? I care about you, a lot so don't think I could risk you getting harmed," Yuki told her nonchalantly.

She looked uneasy about this. A part of her wanted him to come because she loved to be with him but she didn't want him to come along because he had fainted. The last thing she wanted was to overexert his energy and cause him to collapse again. That would be extremely bad if he blacked out on his way home where she wasn't there to call for help. Tohru couldn't say it aloud but she cared about him too and couldn't let him get harmed either.

"Please?"

When he saw her trying to refuse again he added, "You know I'll go with you whether you want me there or not. Isn't it better to agree?"

Tohru smiled slightly and gave in. Since he put it that way there was no chance he would stay and rest even if she told him not to come. Instead of trying to get him to stay here and fail miserably she figured it would be better to just to let him come along and enjoy his company. That's what she really wanted to do inside anyways. Yuki saw her determination to refuse break inside, and he couldn't help but let a small smile form upon his face.

"Oh okay… But promise you'll stop if you need a break," Tohru replied.

Yuki willingly obliged saying, "I promise… I promise…"

"Okay, then let's go!" Tohru exclaimed extending her hand out to him.

Yuki laughed and took her hand. He took one last look at the room before walking out the door with Tohru. There was always one thing he was thankful about hospitals, people here were too absorbed with their own dramatic lives to pay attention to the fact that two royal people were here. He preferred it that way, it'd take too much time to talk to them and explain why he was with Tohru, part of his parents' enemies' family. It was complicated and needed a lot of rethinking, but he really didn't care who her family was. He liked her because she was her not because of her family. They had nothing to do with what made him like her.

**Long chapter make up for delayed update? I hope it did! Gomen nasai I didn't mean to take so long! Please review and tell me what you think! Ooh and I keep forgeting to say thing but I love to draw this series so it there is any scene you want me to draw from this story please tell me! There is no guarantee of when it'll be finished though! I draw more scenes from the end O but I finished this story at a glorious 454 pages! So far I've typed 66 pages.♥ Review! ♥**


	16. Differences Between Fiancees and Loves

Tohru stared blankly across the room, her mind completely focused on Yuki and his well being. All she could think of was him. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about Yuki; at least not after what had happened after she got home from the hospital. After he had dropped her off she had gone through the main gates assuming there was no point in sneaking in anymore. Of course, Yuki had stayed around watching her to make sure she got in unharmed, but there was nothing he could do to keep her out of trouble from her family. Once the guards let her in and she stepped into the palace she was bombarded with questions from Haru and Kisa who had been standing by the door. That wasn't even the worst part, what horrified her most was the menacing glare she received from her aunt and uncle.

The only words she was able to choke out of her suddenly dry throat were in the form of an excuse. Even that excuse was still part true; she had told them that she helped a man who had collapsed and stayed with him until he was conscious. That excuse made up for why she was out so late, but at the same time it didn't even begin to cover why she had left in the first place. Just by looking at her family, she knew that question was on their minds and she would remain forever grateful because they chose not to ask. Like always, it was Haru who had saved her by telling everyone to go to bed since what mattered was that Tohru was home safe and sound. Kisa agreed with this easily, their aunt and uncle had no choice but to oblige seeing how late it was. That was yesterday…

"-ru! Tohru!" snapped Oubasan.

"Eh?"

Her voice brought Tohru back to reality. Tohru frantically looked around the room realizing that she had spaced out. She glanced out the window at the bright sun before peering at her surroundings once again. She didn't recall coming in this room. This room was used for formal meetings and arrangements. It was decorated simply yet elegantly. Both her aunt and her uncle were seated on either side of her. They had no reason to bring her in here by herself unless they were arranging her marriage which they had only talked to her about on Kisa's birthday. It was only then did she realize that there was a fourth person in the room, sitting directly across from her.

"Were you listening at all?" Hakufu questioned, his cold words stinging her ears.

"Ye-yes…" Tohru whispered nervously.

"Then… Who is he?" Oubasan asked pointing to a dark, sinister looking man with dark hair that reminded Tohru of death. Just one look at him made her shiver with fear. Those black eyes of this man seemed to be holding nothing but endless evil, malice intentions. She flinched slightly knowing all too well that she shouldn't assume personality traits of a man she didn't know yet, but his looks seemed to spell out **bad guy**. The three people other than her in the room stared at her waiting for her response. Tohru looked down, blushing embarrassedly, and fingered her dress.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized.

Oubasan shook her head in disgust, clearly unpleased with the result of this arrangement. After she had worked so hard to convince Akito to meet Tohru and consider her for his wife, she didn't want Tohru to blow it by acting like herself. It had been difficult to find an adequate man that would help expand their castle somewhat, but at the same time be willing to marry Tohru. Most princes were either married already or not interested in marrying Tohru, making Tohru's aunt choose a prince that wasn't crazily wealthy. It didn't please her that the man she had chosen for Tohru wasn't as wealthy as other princes, but he'd do.

"Don't mind her. She's a stupid girl who can't stay focused for a second… Then again, what can you expect from a girl?" Hakufu muttered to the dark man.

Tohru blinked wondering how long she had been sitting here, why they were here, and what they wanted. Still, this subject interested her less than Yuki did. It took all her mental strength to keep her mind from drifting back to him. His face, the sound of his voice, his soft touches all lured her, but she clenched her fists and tried to ignore the calls. She'd give anything to leave this place and run into Yuki's arms that were always so tempting. At this point, everyone in the room was too distracted to pay any attention to her tight fists and odd expression of wanting to leave desperately.

"It's alright… This is our first meeting after all. I'm sure she has other _more important_ things on her mind. Have you informed her about our engagement? Such a pity, packages these days don't come with brains _and _beauty. But what does it matter, it's not like she'll be making any decisions… She'll be a nice addition for me though. We'll discuss this further another day. So if you'll excuse me, I have other things I must attend to," he said in a voice that gave Tohru the creeps.

After receiving a pinch from her aunt, Tohru jumped up and choked out, "Go-goodbye!"

"Farewell, my future wife. I do hope that next time; your mind is focused on me. And once we are married, I won't be pleased if I find out you're thinking of a man other than me," Akito smiled a smile that made her want to back away in terror.

Tohru could do nothing but nod. Hearing him say their engagement and refer to her as his future wife horrified her. She didn't like the fact that her aunt and uncle arranged her engagement to some man she had never met before without talking to her about it. If it was Yuki, then she would have readily accepted, but who was she kidding? A princess rarely, if ever, got what she wanted. Yuki would be a good husband though, a perfect father and everything, but his social status and wealth wasn't in her knowledge though those were the factors that would convince her aunt and uncle. It seemed strange to her now, that he never gave her an indication of where he lived or how high or low his social rank was, but then again, she never spoke of hers either. She could figure out one thing; Yuki was not poor. He couldn't be, not after the diner scene and his lack of worry for money. Still, money wasn't everything; royal blood was what counted towards him being her suitor.

As soon as Akito left the room a loud smack sounded. Tohru sat there in awe. Her cheek stung like crazy, she grasped it gingerly covering her cheek, staring into the icy eyes of her aunt, whose hand hovered past Tohru's face. It took her a few seconds to figure out that she had just been slapped. No one really ever hit her unless she had done something terrible, so that meant impressing Akito was important. She looked down, realizing she was in for a long scolding now. She wanted to yell at herself as well; it was rather silly for her to be thinking of marrying Yuki when she hadn't even know him for a whole year. Besides, she couldn't get her hopes up if he hadn't proposed or even said he loved her.

"How dare you embarrass us like that? That dark haired man was supposed to be your husband! Akito, the prince of Kasa! Now look what you did? He's perfect! You should be glad he doesn't hate you!" roared Oubasan her hands in tight fists drawing Tohru out of her thoughts of Yuki once again.

"Darling, relax… Akito will be back. We made sure of that earlier… Don't worry about a thing," Hakufu reassured her.

"You better not do anything else that's stupid!" Oubasan yelled glaring at Tohru angrily.

"I'm sorry…" Tohru murmured.

---

It has been a couple of days since her meeting with Akito, but that announcement still flooded her head. Future husband… Future husband, Akito, future husband to her Tohru Honda, was Akito. That was a strangely horrifying thought. These words clouded Tohru's thoughts as she stared blankly out the window. She shook her head clearing her mind of Akito, but now a certain silver haired man came to her thoughts. Her eye's widened, for the first time since she met Yuki, he hadn't been on her mind for a whole hour. It was only now did she begin to see the resemblance between Akito and Yuki. Their hairstyle was similar, so maybe marrying Akito would be like marrying Yuki! She tired to convince herself of this, but her heart, soul, and mind doubted it. Akito was missing some things like warmth and love, for example, which were evident in Yuki. Those things were important to her. She missed Yuki; she wanted to see him now.

"Yuki…" Tohru whispered putting her hand on the glass pane of the window.

"Snow?"

Tohru jumped up in surprise. Looking behind herself for the first time, she found that she wasn't alone in the room. Haru and Kisa were sitting on the sofa beside her. They both eyed her oddly switching their views from her bright red face to the window checking for any signs of a snowfall but found none. This scene baffled them. There was no reason for Tohru to suddenly mention snow while looking outside when there was no snow. Tohru looked away with a flustered expression as she sat down in an armchair next to her. This would be something difficult for her to cover up.

"Onee-chan?"

"Tohru are you feeling okay?" Haru asked as he reached over and placed his hand on her forehead.

"It's about fall now… It won't snow for another few months," Kisa added as Haru withdrew his hand. Tohru felt warm, very warm, but he knew that the heat was coming from her embarrassment rather than an illness. He didn't see why she found the situation embarrassing. She had done far more embarrassing things in her life than randomly blurting out words, unless of course she meant Yuki as something other than winter snow. That was always a possibility that would need some investigating to prove his thoughts wrong or correct. He'd prefer it not to be the name of a man because that meant Tohru was going to fall in love with him, then she'd get intimate, and then she'd get pregnant. He wasn't ready for Tohru to leave home or to be an uncle himself. Maybe he'd be ready when she was forty. Yes, that sounded like a good time for her to think about men. Now was simply too soon.

"Ah… Well… You're right," Tohru stammered.

"What's with the sudden outburst?"

"Um you see… I just haven't seen snow for a while so… I… er… miss it…" Tohru made up biting her lower lip lightly.

"You still have to wait a while to see that… Even a princess can't rush the seasons," teased Haru.

Tohru smiled glad to see they bought her lie. She didn't like to lie, but it was half true. She did want to see snow, not the white stuff that falls from the sky, but the man named after the beautiful white creation of god. His name was both fitting and contradictory to his personality. Snow was naturally frigid, but Yuki on the other hand was warm, the most caring man she had ever known. What she thought fit was in the comparison between the looks. Yuki's soft grey locks did remind her of a snowy day, and the beauty of a single snowflake was as gorgeous as he was. Bringing him up, Tohru remembered that her get well gift for him was still sitting in her room, waiting to be finished. She sat up straighter knowing that she had to leave now.

"Um… If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go back to my room now," Tohru told her siblings as she got up and bowed.

"Okay…" replied the youngest.

"Alright then…" responded the white haired teenager.

Tohru gave a small grin before rushing off to her room. She had to complete her present for him tonight before she went to see him. It'd be odd to give him a get well gift weeks after he was out of the hospital. She wanted to complete it soon, but at the same time, she wanted to work slowly and carefully so the gift wouldn't look sloppy and rushed. Tohru had several hours until she had to go meet him; that had to be long enough to make something nice for Yuki.

Kisa set her embroidery down and looked at Haru seriously, "Niisan, do you think she was talking about her friend?"

Haru's eyebrows raised slightly, the only indication that he was listening. She was reminding him of his previous thought about this snow Tohru mentioned, and at the moment Haru didn't want a confirmation that it was indeed a man Tohru had been talking about. He lowered the magazine he was reading and looked at her directly. Any ideas and information about who Tohru was seeing were still of great interest to him though. Haru remained silent, waiting for her to go on.

"Um… Maybe 'Yuki' is his name…" Kisa explained.

"That's a possibility..."

"Do you think that it's the same Yuki?"

What she had said so far made a light bulb lit up in his head, but his realization wouldn't be stated aloud until he got some proof or indication that he was correct. There would be no point in getting his hopes up to have them crushed. His eyes stayed dilated from what he was mentally concluding. A part of him was delighted for both Tohru and Yuki, but another half was unsure. He didn't want the past to repeat itself. Haru wanted Tohru to have happiness; she deserved it, whether it would be gained from being with Yuki or not.

"I don't know Kisa… There are many people named Yuki… We could be wrong in assuming that his name is even Yuki or even if he really is a male. But you know it probably is… I guess fate isn't done with them yet…" he said that, more so to convince himself not to get too excited than for Kisa.

Kisa smiled; glad to know that her idea wasn't entirely crazy. She hoped it was the same Yuki. She hoped it was the same silver haired man with all her heart. Tohru and Yuki, they fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, like a lock and a key, like two pieces of a broken heart. For Tohru's sake, she hoped the rivalry between the two kingdoms would vanish before Tohru was married to Akito. Tohru had told Kisa and Haru about her future husband, and from the sounds of it, he was a bad guy. Yuki wasn't, so for Tohru's sake, she prayed with all her might that the hatred would disappear.

Tohru entered her room quickly, quietly shutting the door behind her. The soft click of the lock sounded, signaling the end of any disturbances from the outside. Her hands fumbled with the clasp of her necklace, separating the once connected ends of the gold chain. A small key dangled at the end like a charm. She kneeled down beside her bed and pulled out a chest from underneath. Tohru slipped the key into the lock and turned the key, unlocking the chest. She withdrew a dark blue nearly finished scarf and her knitting needles and yarn from within. Just a little more work and she'd be done with the scarf tonight, meaning she'd be able to give it to him on their scheduled meeting later on. She sat herself down in her wooden armchair and picked up the needles and yarn, carefully finishing the gift. Around half an hour later, Tohru let out a sigh of relief eyeing the finished scarf satisfactorily.

"Perfect," she muttered as she wrapped the scarf around her neck to try it out.

She giggled as she removed the scarf treating it like fragile glass. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the scarf she had just knitted. Gently she set it down on her seat and put her needles and yarn away. Tohru hopped onto her bed resting her head on her pillow and yawned. For a few nights she had stayed up working endlessly to learn how to knit something decent enough to give to him. All she had to do now was wait for nightfall so she could go see him. Shutting her eyes she slipped into a deep sleep.

---

"What kind of parents do I have? They didn't even notice when I'm gone for an entire day. Not that it surprises me… I guess that means I can sneak out to see Tohru more often. Tonight… I can't wait to see you Tohru Honda…" Yuki mumbled to himself as he fingered the card she had given him.

He glanced out the window at the setting sun as he paced around his room. He wanted it to be night already so he could see her. All he could do to satisfy his heart's longings was to reread her card about a million times, admiring the words, and adoring her loopy handwriting. Yuki let out a deep breath as he walked to his desk and set the card carefully atop of a few books. It was finally late enough. He ran his hand through his silver locks, stealing a quick glance in the mirror before he got ready to go meet Tohru. After he bathed and made sure the door was locked he climbed out the window and down the walls to his few hours of blissful freedom.

---

Tohru's eyes slowly opened settling on the clock on the stand beside her bed. Her eyes widened at disbelief staring at the numbers on the clock. It couldn't be that late! She could have sworn she hadn't slept for more than five minutes! The clock had to be broken, but the red color flooding her room from the setting sun outside her window told her the clock was working perfectly. She gasped and jumped out of bed shoving the covers off of her. She couldn't be late; she didn't want to be late to see **her** Yuki. She grabbed her scarf and hurried out of her room, but not before scolding herself for considering him as her own property.

---

Yuki sat down on the soft grass before the lake. He had already checked all around the place but found no waiting princess. He had yelled at himself for not offering to pick her up a billion times already. Being who she was, she could have easily been kidnapped or even murdered. At the same time, the sane part of him reminded him he couldn't go for her now because they would simply miss each other. Tohru could come to the lake and see that he wasn't there; then she might think he didn't want to see her anymore, which was not true. The best choice, he concluded, was to stay here and wait while praying that she gets here safely on her own. He rested his chin against his left fist and waited anxiously for her to show up, hoping nothing bad happened.

Yuki shivered slightly. The sun had completely set now and the cold air was settling in around him. He didn't realize how cold autumn nights were since he had basically been confined in his room all his life. He wrapped his arms around his knees in attempt to stay warm. His breath could be seen in the frigid air. When he was about to get up and send a search party out for Tohru he felt something warm and fuzzy wrap around his neck. His eyes enlarged from shock for a split second until he realized the only person who would come here at this time of day was Tohru. He looked up staring into happy chocolate orbs.

"You should dress more warmly! Fall nights can be really cold! I don't want you to get sick again! Are you feeling better?" Tohru exclaimed worriedly though a smile was still across her face.

Yuki gazed into her eyes as he pushed a few of her long dark strands behind her ear. She blushed but still looked overjoyed; she appeared as if she had been deprived of a vital nutrient. That nutrient was Yuki. For a minute, all she could do was gaze into his deep grey eyes and watch him stare back in a trance like state. A breeze came in, blowing dried leaves around and tossing the scarf around Yuki's neck, unwinding it and trying to steal it away with the leaves. He grabbed onto one of the soft ends to keep it from soaring into the sky. The carefully knitted wool was obviously hand made, that made Yuki grin.

"Did you make this for me?" Yuki asked with a smile as he admired the navy scarf.

"Ye-yes... I made it for you as a get well gift, and so you wouldn't get sick so often…" She replied slowly as her eyes widened, and she cried, "But you don't have it wear it or anything! It's poorly made, and I'm sure you have something nicer-!"

Her words were cut off by the soft touch of his lips against hers. She nearly fell backwards out of shock, but by this point, he had already anticipated this and had his arm around his waist already. Tohru stared at him before dropping down onto her knees so that she was face to face with him. His lips never lost contact with hers. He gave her a short but sweet kiss, breaking away only to whisper into her ear, "Thank you… It's beautiful…"

Tohru blinked a couple of times slightly flustered as her cheeks darkened. She beamed joyfully nonetheless. He wrapped the scarf tighter around his neck so the wind wouldn't attempt to take it again. She watched him do this and smiled again, feeling more important and cherished than she had ever felt before. Little did she know, the scarf would become something that Yuki would treasure for the rest of his life. He cupped her chin in his hands, their eyes locked for a moment before their lips met in another gentle kiss.

---

"Yuki?" Ayame called knocking on the large wooden doors.

Hearing no response he opened the doors with his lock picking skills and sang, "Heeeeeeeeeeeeellooooooooo?"

The only light that shined in the room came from a small candle left lit on Yuki's desk. Not a single window was open to let in a ray of moonlight. Leaving the candle lit was pretty careless of Yuki since he wasn't even in his room. Ayame walked over to the desk muttering something about saving Yuki's life. He was about to blow out the candle but the card on a stack of books caught his attention. Curiosity overtook him as he grabbed the card that looked like it had been opened and closed numerous times from the state of the binding. He slowly unfolded the card. His eyes widened as he read it cautiously. Ayame reread the note, slower each time before the candle flickered out and thunder made a loud frightening boom, but Ayame didn't even budge.

Yuki gracefully climbed up the wall and through the window landing without a sound. Tohru and he had to cut their meeting short after a couple of hours since they heard the thunder boom. He was upset that they hadn't stayed together longer, but he had to admit it was a whole lot better than not having seen her at all. He looked back out the window at the gloomy night sky muttering, "Good… I made it before the rain fell…"

Ironically enough the cool pellets of rain started falling from the sky landing on his face after he finished his sentence. The atmosphere outside was a reflection of how he felt inside now that he wasn't with Tohru anymore. He sighed and shut the window locking it. Yuki turned around facing his dark room as lightening stuck a good distance away. The purplish glow lit up the room, revealing to Yuki the long haired man who was sitting on his bed.

**Sorry for the late update! Long chapter makes up for everything, right? XD The next chapter either will be EXETREMELY long or I may split it into two chapters... Either way my _twist_ shall be revealed! 3 and Aki-chan won by like 2 votes so HE IS SO A MAN! Review!!!!!!!!!**


	17. A Single Sacred Phrase

There are sixty seconds in a minute, sixty long seconds that could stretch out into an eternity in disastrous circumstances. This was one of those disastrous situations. For a minute, all Yuki could do was stare at Ayame. No words would come out of Yuki's mouth, none. There was nothing he could say. After all, he had just been caught red-handed. His mind refused to work normally. At least, all Ayame could learn from this was that Yuki snuck out occasionally; at least, Ayame didn't know why Yuki left. He attempted to comfort himself with these small facts, but he just felt more uneasy. His reason for leaving was obviously Tohru. If Ayame knew about her, things couldn't possibly turn out smoothly since Ayame also knew that Yuki was supposed to be marrying a princess named Machi. That wasn't the problem now though, the issue Yuki had now was needing an excuse. Yuki couldn't come up with a single reason to explain why he had just climbed in through the window. Ayame wasn't smart, anything would do! But nothing came to him.

"Niisan!" Yuki gasped stupidly, feeling the need to say something already.

Ayame's face was serious for once, his eyes were expressionless and his lips formed a straight line. The shadows of the room played with the faint moonlight making Ayame look twice as stern. Never in his life had Yuki seen Ayame in this state. This was Ayame, the man who couldn't sit still for a second! He wasn't supposed to ever act like this. This was one of those rare moments that Yuki wished Ayame was his normal annoying self. That Ayame was more predictable than this serious one. That Ayame would simply harass him about spending more time together. That Ayame wouldn't sit in the dark to catch him sneaking back in. This Ayame didn't say anything in response to Yuki. It was like he was waiting for Yuki to confess.

"Nii-san, what are you doing here? You scared me, sitting in the dark like that," Yuki muttered as calmly as he could manage as he regained his composure.

"Why are you back so late?" Ayame asked in an unusual serious voice.

"I…" Yuki started, his voice dropping as his heart beat faster and faster seeming to want to leave his body behind in a heap to rot. His voice faltered. It was as if someone had removed his brain and left his skull completely empty. Damn that person who stole his brain! He needed to think, he needed to form a plan so that Ayame wouldn't learn about him and Tohru. Yuki kept his eyes glued to the floor, as if he thought something was written there that would help him slip out of this situation. If anything would keep Ayame from discovering the truth, he'd promise to be more careful in the future. Next time, he wouldn't let himself be caught. That is, if there would be a next time.

"Where were you just now?" Ayame questioned.

"No place in particular…"

Couldn't Ayame just be silent for a few minutes and let Yuki have some time to think through his answers so he wouldn't say something as stupid as he just did? For a brief moment neither of them said anything, both waiting for the other to say something. Yuki was awaiting Ayame's next question, and Ayame was expecting Yuki to continue. Even in that break, Yuki could still think of no reason for his leaving. There were many reasons for a prince to want to leave home once in a while. There was shopping, though Ayame was his tailor and all shops had been closed for a while now. He could have been taking a walk, though that wouldn't make it necessary for him to climb in through the window. Yuki could have been practicing scaling up and down his wall in case there was a fire or something! That was the lamest cover-up story he could have come up with especially since it was the middle of the night. He would have to face it sooner or later; there really was no good reason for him to have been out so late.

"Don't lie to me, little brother. If where you headed was truly no where in particular then tell me what caused you to sneak in?"  
"I just didn't want a bodyguard following me," Yuki told him half of the truth. He really didn't want a bodyguard tailing him around. Ayame knew that though it didn't seem like he would accept that for his answer. Not wanting a bodyguard explained why he was sneaking in but not why he left in the middle of the night.

"Is that it? Or is it because you're meeting someone?"

Yuki's brows furrowed as he looked at Ayame suspiciously. This wasn't going smoothly. How did Ayame know that much? There was no way he could know the reason. How could he? Yuki thought back, he had never said anything that would have given away his meetings with Tohru to Ayame. Yuki hardly even spoke to his older brother. So how did Ayame know? He couldn't have followed him either. It would have been impossible for Ayame to have followed him and returned back here so soon, and if Ayame had tailed him before tonight he would have blurted something out already. He wasn't exactly good at keeping things to himself. Thinking through what Ayame had just said Yuki forgot to say _no_ in response to Ayame's prediction.

"No protests? Did I conclude the truth? Are you meeting with a special someone?"

"No…" Yuki denied finally. It had been difficult for Yuki to get that one word out of his mouth. His mouth didn't want to let that lie slid out at all. He **was** meeting with someone special, someone **very** special to him. He remembered a phone call he had had with Tohru; she didn't like when he referred to her as someone unimportant. Yuki had just repeated the same mistake he had made that night when he told his mom he was talking to no one important. This time, he hadn't even acknowledged meeting her, but there was no way she could hear what he was saying like last time. Still, that gave him no sense of comfort. It was wrong to talk about her in this manner whether she knew about it or not.

"Then what is this?" Ayame asked him holding up the letter Tohru had written.

Yuki's eyes widened, a small gasp leaving his mouth as his knees gave in. He sank to the ground slowly. His eyes remained fixed on the card the whole time. Terror and guilt danced in his grey orbs, his whole world came crashing down on him, crushing his body with its weight. Ayame couldn't have found that! Yuki remembered putting it in the bottom of a drawer… Wait, that was yesterday, tonight he had carelessly left it atop of his desk, hidden by nothing at all. So in the end, this incident was because of his own carelessness. Had Ayame read what Tohru had written to him? The answer to that was obvious; there was just too much curiosity in Ayame. He couldn't refrain from reading something he found if someone paid him.

"Ah, so you do recognize this. Is she a lover? A special lady?" Ayame began to guess.

Yuki nodded though not confirming any of Ayame's guesses in particular since she was sort of both and he did recognize the card. He wasn't quite sure about the lover part though, but Tohru was certainly a special lady to Yuki. There was no point in lying anymore. Ayame knew about Tohru; he knew what Yuki didn't want him to know. Yuki's heart sank deep into the pit of his body wondering if Ayame was going to tell someone. Ayame knew Yuki's biggest secret now. He could do numerous things with that information to make his life a living hell. Yuki could imagine all the evil things his parents would do to him, but what he couldn't picture was his life without Tohru. He had gotten so adjusted to seeing her, hearing her voice, feeling the touch of her hand within his; he wasn't sure he would last if he couldn't be with her again.

"Please… Please don't tell…" Yuki could barely choke out those few words.

Ayame's golden orbs widened, surprised by Yuki's reaction. Had he really guessed right about the lover thing? He was half kidding. Yuki hadn't been serious about a girl since _she_ had left his life. For the longest time, Ayame had thought Yuki would never love someone again. He thought the next woman Yuki talked to would be some woman their parents made him talk to; Ayame thought Yuki would only see a girl if their parents made him. Maybe Yuki's sneaking out wasn't so bad after all if it meant Yuki had recovered completely. Well as healed as Yuki's heart could possibly get. Losing your love was something no one could fully get over, even if Yuki couldn't remember being in love with her.

"I- I need her… Please Niisan… Even if this is the last thing you'll ever do for me, please don't tell," Yuki begged with his knees on the floor and his forehead touching the wooden floor. He knew he looked ridiculous for bowing to Ayame because of something like this, but he didn't care. She really was important enough to him to make him embarrass himself like this just to ensure that he could continue seeing her. His meetings with Tohru were the most valuable thing he had.

Ayame stared at his little brother. The last thing he expected was for Yuki to react in this manner. Bowing to him? Ayame couldn't help but think he was dreaming. It was always his wish for Yuki to at least accept him as his brother, but this respect was almost too much. Normally Ayame would have taken advantage of the situation and taken a picture at the very least, but the severity of the condition told him not to. His eyes softened as he gently placed his hand atop Yuki's thin shoulder. Yuki glanced up at Ayame. There was a brief pause, everything in the world seemed to stop for a second, and there was only a connection and a spark of two brothers bonding. For the first time in their lives they began to understand a little about each other.

"The thought of telling never crossed my mind… But if you wish, I vow to never tell mother or father," Ayame promised.

"Thank you…" Yuki breathed a tear slipping down and dropping onto the cold wooden floor. Not wanting Ayame to see him cry, he wiped the trail of water the tear had left from his face. Even though Yuki would admit he liked Ayame a lot more now than before, he wasn't completely comfortable with sharing all of his emotions with Ayame. There was no telling when this serious Ayame would revert back to the playful Ayame. The old Ayame would start to tease him endlessly about crying. Ayame saw the tear, but he didn't say anything. The dark spot on the floor where the tear had landed was still visible to both the brothers.

"Of course! I am your older brother! It's my job to protect you from the evil bandits!" declared Ayame.

"What evil bandits?" Yuki smiled. Something about Ayame's absurd reasoning made Yuki feel at ease. It was probably Ayame's foolishness that made Yuki believe Ayame was absolutely harmless. Maybe Ayame wasn't as horrible as Yuki had made him out to be. Sure he was annoying, he got on Yuki's nerves, and yes he couldn't keep from blabbing to Hatori for his own life, yet the way Ayame had handled this situation made all of that seem unimportant. For the first time in his entire life, Yuki was looking at his older brother with some sense of respect and gratitude. It was as if a hidden sense of maturity had awakened in Ayame. Still, Ayame didn't seem to be able to remain on the same subject for very long.

Ayame pointed to the scarf that was still around Yuki's neck and asked, "Did she make that for you?"

Yuki blushed nodding slightly. He had forgotten all about the scarf until Ayame had brought it up. Glancing down at the navy scarf, Ayame fingered the edge with a nod of approval before releasing it. Yuki unwound the scarf from his neck and folded it on top of his lap. It would be odd for him to continue wearing the scarf since he was already inside. Ayame knew that Tohru was special to Yuki, but Yuki wasn't so sure that he wanted Ayame to know how important she was. To keep wearing the scarf that Tohru had made was a sure way of spelling out his feelings towards Tohru for Ayame to read.

"My, time has flown past me with such speed! Yuki is all grown up and in love!" cried Ayame as he wiped away a fake tear.

"Shut up!" yelled Yuki.

"But the truth is you've matured so much Yuki…"

Yuki looked up at Ayame taken aback by his words. He hadn't noticed any change in himself. Had there really been a big enough change from how he was now to how he had been before for Ayame to be able to notice? But then again, who was Ayame to say that Yuki had matured? Even before meeting Tohru, Yuki knew he was years more mature than Ayame would ever be. Yuki had always been the mature one since he was born; Ayame was the childish man even though Ayame was the older brother. Since Ayame was ten years older than Yuki, Yuki had never seen Ayame as a child, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. He could only imagine how much more immature Ayame was when the long haired man was five. Those had to be some chaotic years especially with Shigure being that age as well.

"It's true! I remember how you were a few months ago… You seemed so cold and distant, you didn't let anyone, not even I, into your heart yet this girl you've never met before changed all of this? These differences seem so obvious now… But I was oblivious to them before. Now I can see that your smile is no longer the same lonely, empty, false smile as before… When you smile now, it actually looks like you're happy like when you were with Toh-!" Ayame started to say, but he clasped his hand over his mouth before he finished.

"What?" Yuki asked. Yuki could swear Ayame was going to say Tohru, but Ayame hadn't seen him with Tohru so how could he know he looked happy when he was with Tohru? How would Ayame even know her name? Oh right, he had the card. Little to Yuki's knowledge, each time Ayame had read the card, his thumb had covered up Tohru's signature. All Ayame knew was that Yuki was seeing someone with curvy hand-writing, not that it was Tohru Honda of Daichi. Yuki was probably hearing things. It made him smile to think that Tohru had caused all these adjustments to him. But, was Ayame implying that Yuki wasn't a good guy back then?

"Ah nothing… Forget what I just said before! I did not just say half the name of one who must never be spoken about, okay? Now… What was I saying before? Oh… yes… Your eyes… Your eyes no longer possess the cold glare but now cast a warm glow. Is all this the work of _this girl_? Is she some super woman? The ideal lady?" Ayame rambled.

Ayame paused, looking at Yuki for his answer. He was curious to know what Yuki thought about this woman and how much she meant to him. Yuki glanced up at Ayame thinking through his question. Tohru most likely did cause all of these changes, but he wouldn't say she was a super woman, nor would Yuki ever say Tohru was his ideal lady in front of Ayame. Tohru was Tohru, and he liked everything about her regardless of her flaws. He adored how she smiled, he cherished the sound of her voice, he thought the way she said his name was the most precious thing in the world. To say he liked her was an understatement, maybe saying he loved her wasn't enough either, but until he even realized these feelings either one of those phrases would have to do.

"Well… It's not that she's perfect or super or anything like that… But I like her… I love her despite of that… I love her imperfections… There isn't such thing as perfect so it doesn't matter to me if she isn't flawless… To me she is the closest thing to perfection that will ever exist…" Yuki commented with a smile on his face.

Ayame grinned and nodded before he stood up. He extended his hand out to Yuki and handed the card back before he headed to the door. Yuki gently flopped down onto the cold floor as soon as the soft click of the door signaled that he was alone. A sigh of relief left his mouth as the previous events finally sunk in. He flipped the card around between his forefinger and his middle finger for a minute rethinking what had just happened. Opening the card he stared at the words written by Tohru, her face appeared in his mind. She was smiling as usual, her eyes glimmering with joy. His mental picture of Tohru looked so real, he could already feel her silky soft hair in his hands. Was it really that easy to memorize someone's face? Sure, he saw her a lot, but he lived with Ayame and he couldn't visualize Ayame's face.

"Why was I so worked up?" Yuki mumbled to himself.

Why did it matter so much to him whether he could continue seeing Tohru or not? He'd admit, they had kissed a few times, and he had enjoyed those kisses a lot, but that didn't change the fact that he hadn't known her for very long. Yuki couldn't have fallen in love with her in the short amount of time he had known her. That was impossible. He tried to tell himself she was just another person and that he could stop seeing her whenever he wanted to, but he didn't believe himself. He realized now that it was too late. He couldn't back out of this relationship they had formed anymore. This had gone on for far too long. He had fallen for her, and he had fallen hard and fast. His heart now belonged to her and only her. Yuki couldn't take his heart back from her if he wanted to. The only thing he could do now was hope he had her heart in return. It was simple and obvious now that he thought about it; he loved her. Nothing would change that. Not his parents, not her family, not the stupid rivalry, not his fiancée, nothing, not even death.

At that moment, he decided he would be with her forever, even if it meant going against his parents. He didn't care. Just as long as they were together, he wouldn't ask for anything else until he died. Tohru would be all he needed for the rest of his life. To remain by her side forever would be a heaven he couldn't even start to describe. Getting to that haven with her would probably be nearly impossible considering the hate between their families and his supposed fiancée, Machi, but he was prepared to take on the challenge. Yuki was ready to fight whoever tried to keep him and Tohru apart. He would do anything to continue seeing her as long as she felt the same want to see him. As long as she felt the same, nothing else would matter to him.

---

Yuki drowsily walked out of his room the next morning stumbling around the castle half asleep. He had no idea where he was or where he was heading. His mind was foggy, he had no idea how long he had been up, nor that it was even morning. This waking issue had always been a problem for him as long as he could remember. Yuki really should lock his door every night before he went to bed. He was slowly waking up as his feet continued to maneuver his body around the halls. Vaguely, he could remember walking into a wall before he heard someone say his name.

His ears perked up and he instantly awakened from his sleep journey when he heard his name again in the distance. Glancing around the hallway as he rubbed his red forehead, he looked around for whoever was talking about him behind his back. Yuki took a few steps back and peered into the room from which the sound came from. Inside the room Ayame and Shigure seemed to be in a deep conversation with Hatori sitting in the corner partially listening. He could only catch glimpses of the intense words.

Yuki…

Night…

LOVE?

Tears…

Suddenly Shigure's eyes lit up and a huge grin formed across his face. He leaned forward with his hands locked together obviously interested in whatever Ayame had just told him. From the bits and pieces Yuki was able to hear, he didn't like what they were talking about. Ayame was clearly telling Shigure, of all people, about what they had discussed last night, so much for Ayame's promise. Yuki made a mental note to himself to never confide in Ayame or think he is a good person ever again. Without drawing Ayame's or Shigure's attention Yuki strode in standing behind the two of them. He listened to the end of their conversation to confirm his guess was correct before he killed the both of them.

"Really? Are you serious?!!" Shigure basically screamed.

Ayame excitedly nodded adding, "Did you hear that Tori-san??? Yuki has a girlfr-!"

That was enough evidence for him. Yuki kicked Ayame harshly in the back sending him flying before he could finish what he was saying. He soared across the room for a minute until he collided into the wall with a cruel smack. Shigure stared at his friend who was stuck to the wall with his arms bent upwards. He laughed nervously to himself before looking back at Yuki hoping he wouldn't be hurt as well. Ayame's finger twitched as some of bits of the wall dropped to the ground. An expensive looking painting wobbled beside Ayame, looking like it was ready to join the chunks of the wall on the carpet.

"Stop talking about me," Yuki told Ayame as he lowered his leg.

A high pitch squeak sounded as Ayame slipped down the wall and landed on the ground with a thud. The tables beside the area where Ayame landed shook causing the matching sculptures to fall on top of Ayame. Ayame didn't even make a sound. There was a dent in the wall in the shape of Ayame's body. The long-haired man's body was crippled in an unnatural position on the floor, he made no further movement. Hatori lowered the book he was reading, took one look at Ayame before going back to reading. By now, Ayame being injured by Yuki was something that happened at least once a week, and Hatori didn't see it as an emergency anymore.

"Aya!!!!!!" cried Shigure as he ran over to his collapsed friend.

Hatori just sat there shaking his head. Yuki released a long sigh as he turned around to leave. Now that he had hurt Ayame for telling everyone about Tohru there was no other reason for him to stay here. He had better things to do, like call Tohru. Raking his hand though the tangled silver mess on top of his head he realized that he really hadn't done anything to make himself look somewhat decent before leaving his room. If his mom found out she'd murder him for disgracing her with his appearance. And if he was dead, he wouldn't be able to be with Tohru anymore. That was a good enough reason to make him feel the need to go fix his hair now.

"Yuki," Hatori called waving him over with his hand before Yuki made it to the door.

"Hm?" Yuki looked back at the doctor a little impatiently.  
"So you're really meeting with a girl? Is it true?"

Hatori's dark strands covered his eyes hiding his intentions. He stared at Yuki with an unreadable expression across his face. Yuki couldn't tell whether he was asking out of curiosity or because he wanted to lecture Yuki or something like that. He took a deep breath looking up at the ceiling for a few seconds before releasing it and returning his gaze back to Hatori. Ayame already blurted out everything to Shigure and Hatori; he couldn't change that if he tried. There was no use in denying the truth after Ayame told them.

"I don't know what Nii-san said exactly… But yes…" Yuki muttered.

Hatori nodded slowly, a small smile that was barely noticeable crossed his face for a split second before he frowned once more, complete seriousness returned to his stoic face. He didn't want to be happy for Yuki; he didn't want himself or Yuki to get his hopes up for nothing. Because of what happened with Kana, Hatori didn't believe in happy endings anymore. He wasn't even the heir to the palace, and Kana wasn't the daughter of Kaze's enemy, and yet she had been killed. Yuki was the heir, and for whichever girl he was seeing, that was bad news. She wouldn't be allowed to see another sun rise if their relationship was discovered by Yuki's parents. Hatori nodded once more, opening his mouth to warn Yuki about this, but Shigure jumped back into the scene with a playful smile across his face ruining the moment.

"So…" he started getting a little too close to Yuki, "What's her name?"  
Yuki stiffened before elbowing Shigure in the stomach. Did Shigure have to pry in his private life like that? Was it such a bad thing for Yuki to be allowed to have some secrets and privacy? Did Ayame and Shigure really have to know everything about Yuki? Of course, the answers Yuki would have received to all of these questions would have been yes. Those two were nosy beyond compare. They got on his nerves real easily. Sometimes, he wished there was a special dungeon in the castle to lock the two of them up in. Now, he really wanted a dungeon to be made especially for these two. Maybe he'd go discuss this with his father and get one built soon.

"Uf!" cried Shigure before he burst out laughing like a child.

"Dearest brother of mine allow me the pleasure of taking another look at that love letter to refresh my mind of her dear name," Ayame said outstretching his hand to Yuki.

"It WASN'T a love letter!" Yuki shouted at Ayame. With each thing either of them said Yuki's urge to dig a deep hole to bury them alive in grew. He already had a perfect place in mind to start digging. Out in the middle of the forest, there was a small clearing where nobody went. There were supposedly bears and wild beasts living there, but that was perfect. In fact, Yuki hoped a bear would dig them up once he buried them and eat them. Then he could finally have some peace and quiet. What he needed now was either a ton of shovels and men to dig this big ditch or an excavator, some rope to tie the two of them up with, and a vehicle to take the three of them to this glorious burial spot, a flawless plan. Besides, it wasn't like anyone would actually miss these two morons.

"Aya! How could you not focus on her name when you had it right in front of you!" Shigure whined.

"My dear Gure, that is because I was utterly focused on what was written above her signature!"  
"But of course, the dirty love conversation!"

"It wasn't like that!!!" Yuki snapped his annoyance doubling. Forget burying them alive, he'd borrow a butcher knife from the kitchen and slaughter the two of them right now in this room. He wouldn't have minded so much if they were just making fun of him, but accusing Tohru of writing something as atrocious as that was unacceptable. The worst thing was that Yuki knew if Tohru heard this she'd start apologizing even though she had done nothing wrong. They were taking her act of kindness and concern and twisting it into something as perverted as they were. Yuki would make sure they would pay for doing that.

"A love letter! A love letter! Kissy, kissy!!!!!!!!" Shigure teased pursing his lips together in a kissing motion.

Yuki spun around and stormed out of the room slamming the huge double doors behind him. His first mistake had been confessing to Ayame about Tohru, and his second error was not locking that door and burning the room down with Shigure and Ayame in it. The rest of his day was filled with Ayame Shigure's persistent questions and teasing. It was amazing that he had been able to refrain from choking Shigure and Ayame already. They were lucky that Yuki had a good amount of patience and a pair of ear plugs. Yuki had been enjoying the invention of ear plugs and the silence they provided him with until Shigure had spotted them and pulled them out. Now Yuki was back to trying to ignore them and focus on other things.

"Did you guys kiss?!"

Yuki attempted to disregard the childish man turning the page in his book, pretending to read. He had been reading the same page for the past hour; it seemed about time to read another set of sentences or more like stare at the words on the page. The truth was he wasn't even sure what book he was looking at. After running away from Ayame and Shigure for the tenth time, Yuki had hid out in the library and had grabbed the first book he saw in attempt to appear busy. He didn't think they'd care if he was busy, and they didn't, but at least he had something to hit them with within reach.

"Oh my! Don't tell me you've gone further! Ooh Yuki! You dirty hormonal teen!" Shigure continued.

Yuki clenched the book in his hands tightly, barely containing his anger. Why did today have to be the day maids were dusting the bookshelves? If they weren't here, Yuki would have took the scissors a few feet away from him and cut out Shigure's and Ayame's tongues so they'd stop talking. But no, they had to be here, and if he was violent in front of them they would report his actions to his mother. Then she'd lock him up or something like that which would keep him from being able to see Tohru. Why did silencing Shigure and Ayame always have a chance of ruining his opportunities to see Tohru? If only there was a way to dispose of them without having anyone find out…

"Gure-nii, you mustn't continue this nonsense!" Ayame told his friend with complete seriousness.

Both Yuki and Shigure looked at the long haired man in wonder, not believing the grave expression on the always playful man's face. That was the last thing either of them expected Ayame to say. Yes, Shigure had been the one who teased Yuki the most, but Ayame had done so as well. Yuki and Shigure were both so shocked that they had to exchange a look of bewilderment to make sure they had both heard Ayame correctly. Even though they both had the same baffled expression, they both still found it hard to believe that Ayame had actually said that. This long haired man in front of them had to be another person who looked like Ayame; Ayame would never say something like that. Yuki had already learned today that Ayame couldn't be serious if his life was at stake.

"If you are going to continue this you must tell me in private!" Ayame finished with a large grin.

"Aya!! You're so brilliant!" Shigure exclaimed his eyes filled with admiration for Ayame.

"What are you talking about?! That's not ANY better!" Yuki yelled standing up from his seat and dropping the book.

Ayame just winked at Shigure brushing away what Yuki had just said. Yuki groaned and left the room, shutting the doors on his way out quickly. He grabbed the nearest, thickest chair and wedged it under the door knobs rapidly before Shigure and Ayame could figure out what was happening. The sound of Ayame and Shigure shuffling over to the doors and attempting to escape was ignored by Yuki who remained leaning against the doors. He smiled, obviously pleased, though he was starting to wonder why he hadn't done that earlier. It seemed so simple now, if he locked the two of them in one room and stayed somewhere far away he wouldn't have had to hear their teasing. Maids and servants started to gather from all the commotion, but Yuki waved them away not wanting them to release his captives.

"Hey Yuki! Let us out! We'll stop! We promise! Right Ayaa?"

"Of course Gure-nii! I would never betray my little brother!"

"Oh really? What happened to your promise to not tell anyone?" Yuki questioned. It didn't really matter what they vowed to do or not to do, the last thing Yuki would do was let them out. He was pretty fond of not telling anyone where they both were so Shigure and Ayame could starve to death, but too many people had seen already. Why was it turning out to be so hard to eliminate these two annoying people from his life? He had so many ways to kill them, each one better than the last, but there just had to be some sort of consequence. Yuki was beginning to grow a lot of respect for Hatori who had put up with both Shigure and Ayame for his whole life.

"Ah… But THAT was a vow to not tell mother or father, not preventing me from telling anyone else!" Ayame protested.

"Idiot…" Yuki muttered as he stood upright not listening to Ayame's eloquence filled arguments anymore.

He started to leave but turned around to face the crowd with a sweet smile, "If any of you let them out… I'll kill you."

"We won't open the doors your highness!"

The group dispatched after giving several bows to Yuki. Yuki smiled, grateful for the peace and quiet. He wandered off back to his room glad to hear Shigure's and Ayame's voice dimming out. For the first time since last night, he could hear his own thoughts. It was a miracle! Yuki locked his door and flopped down on his bed, somewhat disturbed by the silence after being surrounded by Ayame's and Shigure vociferous voices all day long. He dug out his cell phone from the bottom of his drawer and flipped it open smiling when he saw that Tohru had left him a message. Yuki replayed the short message a few times, enjoying the sound of her voice.

_"Hello Yuki-kun! I um… just wanted to say _hi_ and ask how you were… Umm… Sorry! I must be bothering you! So… please call me back when you have time, okay? I… miss you Yuki-kun… I want to see you soon, alright? Okay then… Bye…" _

Yuki couldn't help but smile at her timidity. He listened to it once more before his fingers dialed the phone number he knew by heart. She picked up after the second ring shyly; he could tell she was blushing without even seeing her face. Yuki greeted her slowly, and talked to her about nothing in particular until it was time for him to go downstairs to eat. Reluctantly he said goodbye to her and ended the call. He wouldn't have minded being late to dinner and talking to her for a while longer, but he knew she'd be in trouble as well if she was late. He stuffed his phone back inside the drawer before he went downstairs. To his dismay, when he passed the room in which he had locked Ayame and Shigure in, he found the doors open. That could only mean that those two were free and running around the palace somewhere, plotting ways to annoy Yuki some more.

A little before he went to the dining room for dinner Yuki discovered Hatori let Ayame and Shigure out from their imprisonment out of pity. He groaned when he saw the two of them enter the dining room. They both took a seat at each of Yuki's sides slithering over until they were barely an inch from Yuki. Hatori sat across the table with an expressionless face. Yuki rolled his eyes at Shigure who was batting his eyelashes and puckering his lips making kissing sounds. Yuki was about to smack him but stopped when he heard the door open. Shigure stopped as well when he saw the king and queen enter.

"Mother… Father…" Yuki muttered.

They gave no sign that they had heard him as they took their seats at the heads of the long table silently. Nobody made a sound. An uncomfortable silence loomed over the table. No one dared to make a sound since Yuki's mom was rather irritable. Yuki didn't even meet her gaze to make sure he didn't do anything that would make her give him a punishment that would stop him from seeing Tohru. The queen gazed at everyone in the room for a second, but her eyes remained on the trio consisting of Yuki, Ayame, and Shigure for a moment longer. Yuki shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Her eyes only lingered if she had found something distasteful.

"Why are you three sitting so closely? It makes you look suspicious," the queen's cold voice commented.

"No reason!" replied Shigure.

"Just showing our love for Yuki!" added Ayame as he wrapped his arms around Yuki's thin shoulders.

Yuki stiffened and turned to face his brother with a cold smile. His eyes were closed, but if they were open the fires burning in them would have been clearly visible to someone standing a mile away. Having the two of them sit beside him pissed him off enough, but having Ayame hug him after harassing him so much was pushing him over the line. Well anytime Ayame came in contact with Yuki he wasn't happy, but especially after Ayame had ruined his day on purpose Yuki really felt the need to fling the man across the room.

"Let go," Yuki said simply still smiling.

"Ah! The food has arrived!" announced Ayame focusing on something else as his arms left Yuki.

"Eh? Where's Kyo?" asked Shigure pointing to the empty seat as maids set their dishes in front of them.

Kyo barged in at that moment making his way to his seat loudly. He had a scowl across his face and he reeked of sweat, clearly coming from training. This day was just getting _better_ and _better_ for Yuki. Kyo rarely made it to dinner and ate with them, so why did he have to come today, the day when Yuki was in the worst mood? Yuki just sighed; his day couldn't get any worse, could it? First Ayame told Shigure and Hatori about Tohru, then they teased him endlessly, and now his nemesis was eating dinner with him. The only good things that happened were finding out that Ayame didn't know Tohru's name was Tohru and his talk with Tohru a few minutes ago. The rest of the day had been an annoying pain.

"Where were you, Kyonkichi?" asked Ayame.

"That's none of your business and stop calling me that!!!" snapped Kyo.

"Nobody cares where you were anyways," retorted Yuki.

"SHUT UP!!" snapped Kyo.

Yuki had to admit that he was partially glad that Kyo was here. Kyo provided Shigure and Ayame with a distraction so they would stop teasing Yuki for a minute. He also was something Yuki could vent his anger out on. Having Kyo around him turned out not to be as bad as Yuki had originally expected it to be. Yuki wondered if his day would have had been a bit more normal if he had remained around Kyo. Since Kyo was another person Ayame and Shigure tend to tease often, his day would have been quieter at the least. Kyo might have even been willing to help Yuki put one of his _Exterminate Shigure and Ayame _plans into action.

"Go ahead and make me."

"Maybe I will! And then we'll see who regrets it, sissy boy!"

"Can you two please stop fighting so we can eat?" whined Shigure.

"Whatever," they both replied in unison.

Kyo grunted while Yuki rolled his eyes. Both of them were equally ashamed to have been caught saying the same thing at the same time. Luckily, no one, not even Shigure, decided to comment on it. Angering both Yuki and Kyo at once was a dangerous, if not lethal, thing to do. Shigure was too busy greedily digging into the platters filling his plate to the edges to even notice. Ayame began to ramble on about himself as he offered to serve Yuki. He grabbed some food with his fists and set it on Yuki's plate with a proud smile. Yuki just grimaced and switched his _contaminated_ plate with Ayame's empty one. He served himself before Ayame could make another attempt to give him more food.

"Save some for the rest of us Shigure," Hatori said as he noticed the food beginning to vanish from sight.

Shigure stopped adding more food to his plate and began stuffing his mouth full. Seeing his gluttonous manner made Yuki smile. It reminded him that since he had locked Ayame and Shigure up before lunch time they hadn't eaten since early morning. At least he was able to torture the two of them a little bit. Sadly, Yuki didn't think that would help them learn their lesson at all. But as long as Shigure kept food in his mouth he couldn't possibly say anything. That small fact was enough to make Yuki want to do a back-flip out of joy. Before Yuki could even fully enjoy the silence, Shigure looked over at him and mumbled something that no one could understand.

"Why don't you try swallowing?" suggested Yuki with a bored look.

"I said, isn't Tohru a boy's name?" Shigure whispered to Yuki.

"What are you implying? That she's a guy?" Yuki hissed silently back.

The black haired adult just smiled back not answering Yuki's question. Yuki stared icily at him, angry at Shigure for even thinking Tohru was a male and mad because he had somehow discovered her name. Had they snuck into his room after he had left and read the card again? Yuki frowned and mentally yelled at himself for not bolting and nailing his door shut. What would it take to keep those two out of his life or room? Figuring out the answer to both would make him the happiest man in the world but just one would be more than fine. Why couldn't those two prefer to bother Kyo instead of him for once in his life?

"What are you two muttering about? It's incredibly rude to leave the rest of us out of your conversation," scolded Yuki's mom.

"I just asked if Tohru was a boy's name," Shigure repeated.

Yuki flinched as he gave Shigure a death glare. Did he have to ask that aloud? Shigure just smiled at the queen and the king, not paying any attention to Yuki's fury. Angry, Yuki kicked Shigure brutally under the table. Shigure winced and rubbed his shin, looking at Yuki with saddened eyes. Yuki stared back at Shigure without any pity in his heart for this man. He hoped the leg would bruise at the very least. Teasing was one thing, but saying her name to his parents was going ten steps too far. If they ever learned about his relationship with Tohru, Yuki knew who he'd blame first: Shigure.

"Yes, it's more commonly a boy's name, why?" asked Yuki's dad.

"I don't see any reason that would make you bring that up unless you know of a girl named Tohru. There's only one girl with such a name… But _you don't know her…_" Yuki's mom said in a voice that sounded as if she was reminding Shigure of something important.

"My guess is that by her, you're referring to Princess Tohru of Daichi?" her husband asked her.

Her eyes hardened into a piercing glare at him. Ayame sat up straighter wondering why he hadn't realized there was only one woman named Tohru in this country and that was Yuki's old fiancée, that same brunette with gorgeous brown eyes whom Yuki had loved so much. How could he not realize that? Maybe it was because he hadn't been allowed to utter her name to anyone in over half a year. Tohru had dwindled to the back of his mind after he was ordered to never speak to Yuki about her again. All her pictures in this castle and any belongings of hers had been burned after the accident. So, how did Yuki know her again?

Shigure's chopsticks hit his plate causing a shrill ring to echo across the room. His jaw dropped and his eyes bulged until they looked like they would pop out. He had just come across the same discovery Ayame did. Kyo stared at the two of them with a look that clearly let them know he thought they were stupid. Hatori continued to sip at his tea thinking over the same thing as Shigure and Ayame were, but he didn't express his shock like they did. The queen turned her hardened gaze towards Shigure, wordlessly commanding him to pick up his eating utensils. Shigure obeyed, but his expression remained the same.

Yuki appeared the most nervous and tense. His fists were clenched into tight balls; his was skin paler than white. A wave of sweat washed across his face. Seeing Yuki starting to act like Shigure and Ayame made Kyo start to believe he was missing something here. He eyed them all oddly as he continued to eat. Yuki faced the table hoping his parents wouldn't look his way. He hadn't ever heard his parents talk about Tohru before, and the way they described her made him angry. Even more than furious Yuki was scared. They could continue making fun of Tohru, he could always apologize to her later for it, but if they looked over at him and saw that he was familiar with her they might hurt her until he wouldn't have the opportunity to apologize to her again.

"Yes, that bitch and her family…" Yuki's mom responded slowly.

"Dear, forget about that stupid girl. She's in the past now. She has nothing to do with us anymore," the king reminded her with a cruel grin.

"Yes, it's not worth my time to think about that worthless being!"

Yuki stood up abruptly slamming both of his fists on the table angrily. Those last lines from his parents made his anger overthrow his terror. He couldn't sit around and listen to them call Tohru such things anymore. Worthless, bitch, and stupid couldn't be any further from his own description of Tohru, and he couldn't help but want to correct their words. His chair fell backwards landing with a boom. Several dishes and glasses fell off the table crashing to the floor and shattering into millions of pieces. Even by looking at Yuki's reflection in the bits of broken glass anyone could tell rage boiled in his blood. His parents stared at him with raised eyebrows waiting for him to explain himself.

"Don't talk about her- people like that!" Yuki shouted correcting his sentence to be talking about people in general so they wouldn't suspect him of knowing her.

He glanced at his parents for a moment, fire burning in his eyes. He spun around giving his chair a hard kick before he stormed out of the room. The large, cushioned chair slammed into the stone wall breaking into several separate pieces. His parents eyed each other not completely sure what had happened. In their selfish eyes, they saw it as teenage rebelling. They clearly thought Yuki had snapped at them just because they seemed to not like this Tohru Honda. Shigure, Hatori, and Ayame, on the other hand, knew better. The three of them looked at each other and nodded as they pushed out their chairs and excused themselves. They climbed up the high marble spiral stairs to Yuki's room rapidly.

Kyo ran his eyes over the empty seats. The only people left in the room were the king and the queen, not the best people to be eating dinner with alone. Suddenly, he didn't want to be in this room anymore. He stuffed a few more spoonfuls of his dinner into his mouth before muttering something awkwardly and leaving the room. Reviewing what had just been said minutes ago his eyes widened slightly as he came across what Hatori, Shigure, and Ayame had a few minutes ago. He ran upstairs aimlessly trying to remember where Yuki's room was. Kyo didn't care about Yuki very much, but this was big and important.

"Such disrespect in children these days! Our own son, scolding at us like that!" she shrieked angrily.

"Hehe…" the king laughed mysteriously.

"Damn it! They really pissed me off! Yuki muttered to himself as he furiously flipped his table over, sending the expensive vase on top sprawling to the floor. It landed with a vicious sound, cracking into hundreds of glass bits. It was his own parents' fault that that vase was broken. He hadn't asked for that antique to be in his room and frankly he didn't care whether it was in shards or in top condition. The vase and end table now looked like the rest of the room. Yuki scanned his room for more objects to break. Finding few things left standing in his room, Yuki turned to the full-length mirror hanging beside him and punched it as hard as he could. Flakes of the mirror shot towards Yuki, a few pieces grazing his skin, but Yuki felt no pain, not even in his bloody hands. The pain he felt was within his body, in his heart more specifically.

Ayame and Shigure jumped from the sound. Hatori continued down the hall to Yuki's room without changing his facial expression. He opened the door without knocking looking at the disaster of a room with a feeble raise of his eyebrows. Barely any furniture was left standing. Books lay scattered across the room with a few torn pages loitering around, the desk sat upside down in the center of the floor, the dresser was flipped onto the side, drawers dangling out, and his mirror was in pieces throughout the room. Glass from the mirror and shards from the vase laid intertwined with each other across the room, dots of blood covering them.

"What do you want?" Yuki asked anger coating his words.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked Hatori calmly standing at the entrance.

"What does it look like?" replied Yuki calming down the slightest bit.

"Do you think destroying your room will do any good?"

"No…" Yuki mumbled as he dropped down onto a small clear spot of his room. Burying his head in between his knees he said something to himself that Hatori couldn't hear. He still had so much pent up anger to release but there just wasn't enough furniture and objects in his room. Yuki gripped the ends of his hair tightly taking deep breaths in attempt to calm himself down. Hatori stood there patiently not even trying to coax Yuki to relax. Instead, he knelt down before Yuki, pulled out a small medical kit he carried with him at all times, and treated the cuts on Yuki's hands. Yuki made no attempt to stop Hatori.

"You do know what you're getting yourself into, right? If either of your families find out both of you will be in big trouble. You know your parents hate her family."  
"I know, but since when do their conflicts involve us? Honestly, I don't care whether they approve or not. All my life they've decided everything for me so I feel at least I can choose who I am acquainted with," Yuki interrupted the doctor peering up at him.

"Well does Tohru know you are the prince of Kaze?"

Yuki shook his head with a sigh. He released his grip on his silver locks a lot calmer now. He stared back down at his legs as Hatori finished bandaging the wounds. Yuki still wished he had another vase to throw, but he'd do fine without one. What Hatori said gave him something to think about. It wasn't like he didn't want to tell her or that he hadn't thought about it. He originally wanted to tell her a while ago, but whenever he attempted to his mouth just wouldn't cooperate with him. He was partially scared of what her reaction would be. She wasn't the type to be angry at him for that, but she could be upset. Having secrets didn't exactly show that Yuki trusted her. He did trust her though, he'd trust her with his life, but he just couldn't seem to tell her about his status.

"You know she'll find out sooner or later, might as well tell her yourself," Hatori advised.

"I know… I just don't want her to stop seeing me because of that so I'll put it off for a little longer…" Yuki admitted.

"The longer you put it off the greater the chance of her being upset… Like Kana…" Hatori added the last part in a whisper.

"I'm sorry Hatori…"

"That doesn't matter. Tell me, are you really just friends with her or are you in love with her as your brother insisted?"

It would be better if they were just friends. It's easier to cut off relations with a friend than someone one was in love with. Hatori was pretty sure it was a lot more than friendship but he couldn't help but want to hear that it was just a friendship for the sake of both Yuki and Tohru. If either Yuki's or Tohru's family found out that they were together there was no doubt that they both would be punished. Yuki couldn't be murdered; he was the heir, but Tohru was another story. Tohru was just a mere princess, her brother Haru would take over the palace. She had a minor role in keeping the palace going. If she died, Hatori knew Yuki wouldn't be in the best state. He could easily turn suicidal, and Hatori didn't want that nor would he like Tohru to be dead.

"Let's just say I care about her a lot… I want to smile when I'm around her. I feel like I've known her forever…"

Hatori stared down at the boy getting an answer that confirmed the later of the relationship possibilities without Yuki having to say it directly. It was love. There was no doubt about it. Hatori opened his mouth and was about to advise him not to fall for Tohru anymore but he was cut off by footsteps growing louder. This was the second time that he was interrupted when he was trying to tell Yuki something urgent. Was he not allowed to help Yuki? Hatori rubbed his forehead deciding that Yuki would just have to fight harder than he had done for Kana.

"Hey Yu- Wha- What happened here?" cried Shigure wide-eyed as he and Ayame arrived at the door.

"Most definitely bandits made an attempt to steal away my dearest brother!" concluded Ayame.

"Stupid…" Hatori murmured. Yuki smiled a little glad to know he wasn't the only one who thought his brother was an idiot. His smile didn't remain on his face for very long though. Shigure and Ayame were one of the first two on his list of people he did not want to see, only after his parents. They had tailed him all day long, was it really necessary for them to show up now as well? Well if they died, Yuki wouldn't be taking responsibility. They both knew he was in a bad mood, so it'd be their fault if they said or did anything that made him murder them.

"Now, now! This situation calls for absolute seriousness!" exclaimed Ayame.

"That's right Ayaa!" agreed Shigure.

"What do you want?" Yuki repeated the question he had asked Hatori as he dug his face into his legs again. It annoyed him just to see them. It was all Shigure's fault that Yuki had blown up downstairs, and it was also his fault that Yuki's room was ruined. None of this would have happened if Shigure hadn't brought Tohru up at the dinner table. If his parents punished him later for yelling at them, Yuki would blame Shigure and slip poison in his food for that. Yuki had the feeling that if he took another look at Shigure the man would be dead twenty times before his head even touched the ground.

"The girl… Her full name is Tohru Honda?" Shigure asked.

Yuki nodded not bothering to lift his head or say something like she was the only girl named Tohru for miles on. What did it matter if she was Tohru Honda or not? His parents would disapprove whether she was a princess of Daichi or not. It would be the same in the end, regardless of whether she was Tohru or not. They couldn't be together. His parents would never allow it, though if destiny was in his favor maybe, just maybe there'd be a chance that there would be a happily ever after ending to Yuki and Tohru's story. That was a slim chance, highly unlikely, but Yuki wanted to believe in it.

"Then you know that this is a problem," Shigure added.

Yuki nodded again. Shigure was lucky enough to get him to nod. What he really wanted to do was head butt Shigure in the gut until he died, not answer these stupid questions. No duh this was a problem! Had Shigure even been listening to the chaotic scene he had caused downstairs? Yuki was beginning to wonder whether Shigure had a brain or not more and more these days. He wished this problem didn't exist, he desired to be a normal man instead of royalty. He wanted to be a regular guy, just a simple guy married to Tohru. Or why couldn't his parents just pick Tohru to be his wife? She was a princess too, and he loved her.

"Why?" Ayame asked.

Yuki looked up confusion shimmering in his grey orbs. What kind of vague question was that? _Why _could be referring to millions of things. Yuki felt the need to hit Ayame for even asking that. Lucky for him, Yuki had more hatred towards Shigure at the moment. Did either of them ever say anything worth listening to? Yuki was getting tired of answering these questions for them. He was also tired of just being around them. Ayame saw Yuki's confound expression and got the hint to better express what he wanted to know.

"Why her? There are millions of girls out there! Prettier ones, smarter ones… So why her? Even a commoner is more suitable in the eyes of our parents; you know that, don't you?" Ayame continued.

"If it because… _You remembered_?" Shigure asked.

Yuki glanced over at his brother and Shigure twice as confused as before. They were making even less sense at this point. They just stared back at him like they expected him to nod again. They didn't explain the question at all when they saw how puzzled he was. Hatori stood up straighter, his eyes a size larger now that he heard that. Yuki looked at Hatori hoping he'd explain this but he gave Yuki the same look as the other two. Their attitudes were beginning to annoy Yuki. Did everyone in here know something that he didn't? Whatever they knew, he wanted to know as well, especially since it seemed to involve both him and Tohru.

"Remember what?"

"Ayame… You are forbidden to speak of that…." reminded Hatori before Ayame could even open his mouth to answer Yuki.

"He doesn't remember anything anyways…" Kyo said.

The orange haired man stood crossed armed leaning against the door frame. A collection of sweat was gathered on his forehead. Kyo had checked practically every room before he heard their voices and came here. Running around on a half empty stomach wasn't very easy. Yuki looked up at Kyo, irritated to learn that Kyo knew what the three men were talking about. Did everyone in the world know something about his relationship with Tohru that he didn't? The answer, he would soon learn was yes. Maybe everyone in the world was a bit of an exaggeration, but every citizen in both Daichi and Kaze knew something about Yuki's relationship with Tohru that he himself didn't know.

"Remember what?!" Yuki repeated, annoyance coating his words.

"Did you ever wonder why Daichi is our enemy?" Kyo asked him.

"No… What's your point? What did I forget? Was it something important?" Yuki asked getting the feeling that Kyo would be the most likely person to answer these questions.

"Not only did you forget but so did she..."  
Yuki stared at the four men in the room blankly. Great, now they were answering, they were responding to him in riddles. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Who were they referring to when they said _she_? Were they talking about Tohru? What did the two of them forget then? Why did they even know so much about Tohru? He wanted answers, and he wanted them now but they didn't even give him the time to ask the hundreds of questions he had just come up with.

"Do you really wanna know what happened?"

Yuki stared back at Kyo giving him a 'what do you think' look. Of course he wanted to know what happened! That was one of the stupidest questions he had ever heard. Kyo remained quiet, he didn't tell Yuki what happened right away as Yuki expected. He was running out of patience; he had used up most of his patience earlier when he was dealing with Shigure and Ayame. If someone didn't explain this soon, they were all going to get a serious beating. Yuki cracked his knuckles about to force them to tell him all they knew.

"You know what'll happen if we tell him, right?" Hatori questioned.

"We'll get beheaded?" laughed Shigure.

"It doesn't matter what happens to us, this part of his life has been unknown to my dearest brother for long enough already…" Ayame told them.

"Actually, you've known the princess since you were a child…"

Yuki's eye's widened in shock. That wasn't right, was it? He had met Tohru several months ago, right? He would have known who he met before. How did they know he met her before? For all he knew, this could be another teasing of Shigure and Ayame's pranks. The presence of Hatori and Kyo told them that that wasn't true. Having the personalities that they did, neither Hatori nor Kyo would have gone along with this sort of prank even if Shigure and Ayame had paid them. So then, what in the world were they talking about? He couldn't have possibly have net her because that would have meant he had forgotten her since he had no idea what they were talking about at the moment. Tohru wasn't the kind of girl one forgot easily though. This didn't make any sense.

"Ever since you both were babies, both your parents arranged a marriage for you two. They decided that once you both reached the age of seventeen, your current age, you two would be married. Ironically, the date they picked out is today, but that doesn't matter. Well anyways, nobody likes to be forced into marriage, but you both were different. I heard that when you were around six, you helped the princess find her mother before you two were even introduced. They had originally planned to have you two meet about a year before the wedding, but things didn't work out as they wanted. It didn't matter; you both were best friends as children never wanting to leave each other. That friendship didn't last long though seeing that your parents would rather have each of you focus on your studies. Either way, crashing into each other a year and a few months ago a love started to bloom. In reality, you two wanted to get married sooner so the wedding was moved to early this spring… But neither of you ever made it to that altar…"

"A terrible even occurred instead…"

"You see… On that fateful day, you both were sitting in the car ahead of us with the princess and her parents to go to the church. The four of us sat with Kisa and Haru, Tohru's siblings, and your parents. All we could do was watch. It was too late to inform you guys of the speeding truck that would, in a matter of seconds, collide with the car you were in. The car rolled off the road and down a steep hill. We got out as fast as we could and ran down the hill, but there was nothing we could do. We heard the crashes all too well. The sound of the car exploding rang across town. By the time we got there the car was blown to bits, everything inside, burnt to a crisp."

"At first, I thought you were dead as well. I was delighted to see that you were lying outside of the car by the princess!"

"Everything fell apart that day… Her parents were both dead and we found you both had severe damage to your brains. Luckily, you both weren't brain-dead. Nothing vital was lost and none of the damage was permanent, but many of your memories if not all of Tohru and the year you spent falling in love with each other were lost…"

"Same with the girl, I heard…" Kyo commented.

"Oddly enough, you remembered the rest of your life. It was as if Tohru had never existed before…" Shigure finished the story off.

Yuki sat there stunned silent, letting the information sink in. That couldn't be true. If he had loved her before, if he had asked her to marry him before, if she had agreed to be his wife, he would have remembered. A stupid car crash couldn't have made him forget her. This was dumb. It had to be some sort of cruel joke! This wasn't right. He couldn't believe them. They'd just make fun of him later. He especially didn't want Kyo to have a valid reason to make fun of him. He wouldn't forget Tohru, he couldn't… Right? If he had really loved her as much as they told him, he shouldn't have been able to forget her like that.

"You're lying… I would never forget her…" Yuki muttered.

"Little brother, why would we lie to you about this?"

"You're lying… You're lying! You're lying!" Yuki snapped in a crazed frenzy of denial. He clasped his hands over his ears refusing to hear anymore of what Ayame had to say. Ayame tried to coax Yuki into discussing this, but Yuki just swatted him away. Yuki didn't want to hear them say anymore. Forgetting Tohru gave him no right to love her again, forgetting her made him a terrible person, a heartless creature. He had no right to love her, no right at all if he could forget her in an instant like that. Ayame hesitantly took a step back looking back at Hatori for instructions, but Hatori, Shigure and Kyo were already outside the door. He bounded for the door since there seemed to be nothing he could do for Yuki but give him time to think it over.

"Do you think, he'll be alright Haa-san?" Ayame asked the doctor.

"He'll be fine… He just showed the first two steps of shock, denial and anger. Just give him some time and he'll be normal again," responded Hatori nonchalantly.

"Do you think either of them can remember?"

Hatori didn't respond. There was nothing to say in response. He couldn't be sure of either possibility. There was a chance that it could be a temporary case of amnesia, but at the same time the memory loss could also be permanent. Everyone here, couldn't help but hope that maybe, the loss wouldn't last forever, but the memories of each other were just buried under tragedy and conflicts instead. There was no way of telling; they'd just have to patiently wait and see to find out how things would turn out. Kyo remained standing there with his usual scowl wondering if telling Yuki was really the right thing to do. He didn't want the memory loss to last forever even though he wouldn't admit feeling this way.

Yuki remained kneeling on the wooden floor of his room clutching his throbbing head. He was still unable to grasp onto the situation. He felt the need to break something, destroy something, but there was nothing left standing in his room besides his bed. Tightening his fists, he could feel his nails pierce his skin, but he didn't care. There was nothing to break, nothing to let him release this built up anger on or even let his bewilderment lash out for a second. Yuki was left there with his emotions, and he decided to release one feeling, sadness and regret for even forgetting Tohru. A single tear slipped from his eye dropping to the ground, breaking like glass. His whole world was flipped upside down before his own eyes. How was he supposed to handle this situation?

His head hurt so much. So many words and phrases rung in his head, things he didn't remember hearing before, most of this, spoken by Tohru. One sentence stuck out to him in particular…

_I love you Yuki-kun…_


	18. Between Past and Present

Yuki groaned as bright sunlight streamed into his eyes. Why did the sun have to be so bright? Funny, he remembered leaving his curtains drawn shut last night. Not wanting to wake up or see the sun, he squeezed his eyes shut and yanked the covers over his head. Being surrounded by the darkness once again, a sense of ease and relaxation surrounded him. He was ready to fall back to sleep. From nothing other than experience, he knew exactly who was now in his room disturbing his glorious rest. Maybe if he locked Ayame in a cage and threw the key away Yuki would finally get some peace and quiet in the morning. That sounded like a good idea. He'd find a suitable cage later on when he was ready to wake up. He brought his legs to his chest and yawned, going back to sleep. By now he was used to the bright light and began to lower the blanket off of his face.

"Rise and shine little brother! We have much to discuss! Today is just going to overflow with our brotherly love!" announced Ayame as he jerked the blanket off of Yuki.

Yuki reluctantly opened his eyes and squinted tiredly trying to focus on the man in his room. All he could see with his half open eyes was a red and white smudge he assumed was Ayame. His eyes didn't work their best when he just woke up, and neither did his brain. If he had been functioning properly Ayame would be dead by now, but luckily (for Ayame) Yuki was too sleepy to be thinking clearly. Yuki knew one thing: Ayame was wrong if he thought taking away Yuki's blanket would make him wake up. The castle was heated; it wasn't as if he'd be uncomfortable without his blanket. Besides, at the moment, Yuki wouldn't even mind sleeping on the floor. He was that tired. He felt groggy, he turned around facing the wall mumbling, "If you love me at all you'll let me sleep…"  
"You mustn't waste such a beautiful day in bed!" argued Ayame.

Yuki covered his ears with a pillow ignoring his brother. The senseless reasoning of Ayame was one of the reasons Yuki didn't get along with him. Sure it was a beautiful day, but that didn't change the fact that he was tired. He didn't even care if today was the last day he had left to live, he'd rather spend it sleeping instead of hanging around Ayame. But if he had the choice, there was no doubt that he'd rather spend his last day on earth with Tohru. He had been thinking about her a lot more than usual. It was bugging him that he couldn't remember anything from the past except for that one phrase that wouldn't leave his mind.

_I love you Yuki-kun… _

She had said that to him a million times in his dreams and yet, he still found it hard to believe she had actually said that before. He didn't really remember her saying that. It was just her voice saying those four words that rung in his head, surrounded by nothing but darkness as if veil of shadows had been draped over his memories. Yuki couldn't even be sure she did say it. For all he knew, he could be delusional and she had only ever said that in his dreams. She had agreed to marry him before, right? So she had to have said that before at least once, right? Pondering over this for the hundredth time in under twenty four hours he forgot that Ayame was in his room.

"Punishment from the gods shall be inflicted upon me if I let you remain in bed all day!" Ayame told him as he grabbed the pillow.

Yuki sighed frowning. He gave up and sat up rubbing his eyes. Ayame would never leave him alone, would he? If he gave him whatever he wanted maybe he'd actually leave. That was unlikely though since Yuki could guess that what Ayame wanted was to spend time with him and Yuki didn't want to do that.

"What do you want?" demanded Yuki as he swung his legs off the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Ayame asked.

"Well… Considering that you woke me up," Yuki started to say as he glanced at the clock, "at SIX-O-CLOCK IN THE MORNING?"

Yuki grabbed the clock and gripped it tightly in his hands in disbelief. In a flash he yanked the clock's plug out of the electric socket and hurled the clock at Ayame. Even though Yuki was too sleepy to aim well, his anger helped guide the clock straight at Ayame's face. Ayame fell backwards, and landed on the floor with the clock sitting on top of his face. Yuki jumped up angrily snatching back his pillow and blanket before kicking his brother out of his room and slamming the door shut. He plopped himself back down on his bed and drifted back into his restless slumber. The last thought he was a mental note to lock his door next time.

"That idiot…" Yuki muttered in his sleep.

Ayame lay outside Yuki's room dumbfounded for a minute trying to figure out what had happened exactly. Yuki's clock sat beside him with a crack in the middle. There was a red mark in the shape of Yuki's digital clock across Ayame's face. He touched his forehead gingerly brushing over his wound. An injury meant he had no choice but to go see Hatori to make sure the mark wasn't permanent. Well, even if Ayame wasn't hurt he would have gone down to see Hatori anyways. Ayame slowly got up to his feet and went to a nearby mirror to examine his red face. Grimacing he took the steps two at a time and raced into the infirmary to report this to Hatori. Ayame jumped onto Hatori's back instantly telling Hatori everything that had just happened. Hatori peeled Ayame off of his back and set the long haired man on a chair and went back to his paperwork.

"I wonder, was that by any chance too early?" Ayame asked himself.

"I told you to wait until he woke up on his own," Hatori replied nonchalantly.

"But how could I, the wonderous brother I am, wait that late?" Ayame asked in his conceited voice.

Hatori sat there hardly listening to the rest of Ayame's repetitive reasoning. He had plenty of more important tasks than listening to this to do. Why did Ayame have to come to him with his life story? Hatori cared about Ayame's rambling just about as much as Yuki did. Now where did he put his narcotics…? He was in the mood to slip some sleep-inducing drugs into Ayame's mouth. He was the royal family's doctor. Wasn't that job enough? Did he HAVE to be Ayame's babysitter as well? Ayame continued babbling about how a good brother couldn't wait that long to see if his younger brother was alright. The sound of Ayame's voice at this time in the morning was starting to irritate Hatori. Hatori had stayed up all night trying to catch up on work since he had neglected his duties to help tell Yuki about his past. He was too tired to keep his head upright and let it drop on the table. Hatori closed his eyes, no longer listening to Ayame.

"And besides, there's no telling when he shall awaken!" Ayame added.

----

After several hours of sleeping Yuki awoke, for the first time in his life he was actually wide awake as soon as he opened his eyes. He looked around the empty room; all the broken furniture had been removed. Various maids and butlers were in the middle of replacing the pieces rather noisily. He ignored them, pretending to be asleep. It seemed like they were trying to wake him with all the noise they were making. They purposely dropped the furniture on the ground instead of setting it down gently. How inconsiderate of them, not that it really mattered. He had slept through all of that racket with ease. How he managed to do that was as much of a mystery to him as it was to the servants. Yuki must have been more tired than he had thought, which was no surprise since he hadn't been able to sleep much last night. His insomnia was understandable considering that he had learned about the story about him and Tohru yesterday.

Yuki stared up at the ceiling trying to drone out the voices ringing in his room. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anybody. Nobody seemed to notice that he was awake either which he was grateful for. They wouldn't understand how he felt anyways. He needed time to think about this. The late hours of the morning began to dwindle away and soon it was noon. His _guests_ hadn't gotten any quieter. Yuki lied there flat on his back wondering why this had to happen to him. It felt like he was a different person now, almost as if he had lived two lives, or he had been reincarnated with Tohru. One moment he was engaged to Tohru and the next minute he had no idea he had even met her. He hated himself for that. Right now, he had a strong dislike for himself, for forgetting the person he so-called loves. He couldn't even tell her he was a prince, but now he had to tell her that they had been engaged before, and he didn't even remember proposing or even knowing her before.

"Can life get any more complicated?"

It felt like he was carrying the world on his shoulders, and there was no one there to ease his burden. He had no idea what to do or where to start. He couldn't go on carrying this on his own. He felt broken, ready to give up. With an unbearable weight upon his back, he staggered on down the path also known as his life. Yuki needed a break, but the mishap just gave him more anxiety and stress. About to collapse from the pressure he saw Tohru appear beside him to help. Yep, he was officially crazy, or at least he thought so. But that imagination of his did have a point. Tohru would be there for him in any crisis. She'd be in his life, regardless of how his parents felt about it. Still, there was still the chance that she wouldn't want to be with him anymore if she found out he had forgotten her so easily. Deep down, he blamed himself for the whole incident, but his conscience kept reminding him that he wasn't the only one who forgot. She forgot as well.

At least it explained why he had been so comfortable around Tohru as soon as he had met her. He had a feeling he would have trusted her with his life back then regardless of the fact that his mind believed they had just met. He could tell that even though neither of them remembered each other exactly, their bodies still do. One day he hoped they would regain what was lost so they could finish their journey together. That would be a dream come true. Yuki looked at his nightstand for his clock, and he was a bit confused until he remembered he had thrown the thing at Ayame. He sighed and was about to get up when his father entered the room. His body froze and he continued to feign sleep. Next to his mother, his father was the last person he wanted to see. There was no doubt the king would question Yuki's anger. The wiser choice was to avoid the man until something more interesting happened to make them forget about yesterday.

"He's still asleep?"  
"Yes your majesty. We did as you said and tried to be as noisy as possible but he continues to sleep…" replied a nearby maid.

"I don't understand what made him so angry… Unless… No… He can't remember anything about that incident… How silly to even think that…" His father chuckled speaking to himself.

Nobody dared to comment on how insane he appeared when he talked and laughed to himself. It was a natural tendency for everyone in this palace to be scared of the king and queen at least a little bit after the accident. After almost losing their precious son they had gone into a frenzy, not so much because they loved him but because they needed him to be the heir. Not wanting to even give themselves any blame for the disaster, they needed a scapegoat, and they chose Tohru's family to be the scapegoat. They blamed the palace of Daichi, more specifically Tohru for the injuries inflicted upon Yuki. Neither the king nor the queen of Kaze seemed to care that Tohru had lost more than Yuki had; her parents had died in that accident as well. From that point on the hatred grew like wild fire, and both palaces forbade anyone from telling Yuki or Tohru about their past relationship. It was so simple to make a new nemesis; the difficult part was restoring a friendship.

The maids and butlers stood there silently waiting for further instruction.

"Well, go on and continue…" he muttered before he strode out of the room.

"Yes sir," they replied even though he was already too far away to hear.

They finished shortly and went back to their other tasks quickly. Yuki was too lost in his own thoughts to even notice the stillness lingering in the air. He lay there, thinking about nothing in particular besides Tohru. He was thinking about everything Tohru and he had done together since that fateful day in spring when he had met her. How could he even think she was a complete stranger? He probably still would have thought they had met as strangers that day if Ayame, Hatori, Shigure, and Kyo hadn't told him that he used to be engaged to her. She was, most likely still, oblivious to this. What was he going to do? Did he still have a right to see her? Should he tell her what he knew? Did he even want to tell her? It'd freak her out or confuse her; he was still freaked out and confused. Nobody expects to find out they're missing some parts of his life. What would she do? How would he even bring it up? But what if he didn't tell her? Surely, he wouldn't be able to act the same around her, and she'd definitely notice that. Besides, she was going to find out sooner or later. And if she found out through someone else and realizes he knew all along there was a chance she'd be mad at him.

"I don't even believe it… It just seems impossible."

Yuki was finally brought back to his senses when he heard the pounding on the door. He lost his train of thoughts and was rather pissed about that. Couldn't everyone just leave him and his thoughts alone so he could sort his situation out already? He needed to decide what to do. At this rate, he'd never make a decision. It would be risky to tell her. If it went smoothly, they could be closer, and together they could try to get their memories to resurface, but if it was unsuccessful, he might never get to see her again. She might even end up thinking he was crazy. Yuki nearly ambled back to his previous debate on whether to tell her or not but the person reminded Yuki of his presence with another set of knocks. Yuki glared at the door. He really needed to decide what to do as soon as he could. He was running out of time. Spring would be here before he knew it, and then he'd be married to someone he didn't even know.

"Go away," Yuki groaned naturally assuming it was Ayame.

The person was persistent; the knocking didn't stop. Yuki mumbled a curse under his breath. Nobody wanted to leave him alone today. First, at six a.m. in the morning Ayame had to barge in uninvited, then servants had come to give him new furniture, then his dad had decided to pay him a visit, and now this person was here. Who would be next? His mother? Tohru? Well the later wouldn't be bad at all, but if she came here that would mean she would learn of his status. Great, just another thing he had to remember to tell her. What would he tell her first, that he was a prince or that they were engaged before? Which one would make her less upset? He laughed silently to himself. Neither were bad news exactly, but they could upset her because he had kept them from her.

"What do you want?" Yuki asked lazily turning over.

He heard the door click open as he muttered, "Damn, I forgot to lock the door again!"

"What? Do you plan on staying in bed all day?"  
Yuki looked up at the man who had just walked in, "Hatori?"  
"Who'd you think it was? Your brother?" Hatori asked with a half smile.

"Kinda…" Yuki replied slightly embarrassed.

"Trust me, Ayame would not bother to knock," Hatori told Yuki.

Yuki laughed as he sat upright in his bed. Hatori pulled the chair over to his bed and sat down. Yuki sat up in bed giving Hatori a look that asked why he was here. As far as he could tell he had remembered to go see Hatori for his regular check up, and he felt fine, so there was no real reason for Hatori to be here, unless Hatori had finally discovered that Yuki was insane. Yuki had been suspecting that a lot these days. At the least, he had a feeling he was a monomaniac, and that one thing he was obsessed with was Tohru. He went to see her at least once a week, he called her practically everyday, and when he was doing neither he was thinking about her and ways to bring a smile to her face. Yep, sounded like a case of monomania to him.

"Let me ask you again, do you plan on staying in bed all day?" Hatori repeated.

"No… Just until I sort this out," Yuki answered seriously.

"Hatori was silent for a moment before responding, "Yuki you're not going to sort this whole thing out in a day or two."

"I could try."

"Don't you see? You're getting nowhere. Let time take its toll and clear your mind. All I see is an uptight confused boy. Give your thoughts a rest and relax," Hatori advised.

Some time to relax didn't sound like such a bad idea at the moment. Relaxing to him usually meant a nap, but how could he sleep when he just woke up? He needed another method of relaxation. His mind had no ideas of what he could do instead. Most of the time, he didn't have the time to relax. If he wasn't in classes he was with Tohru, if he wasn't with Tohru he was preparing to see Tohru, if he wasn't doing that he was eating, sleeping, or running an errand for Ayame or his mother. When did he have the time to relax? If Hatori, being a doctor, said that relaxing would clear his mind and help him figure out what to do, he'd obey. At this point, Yuki was about willing to do almost anything to be able to make up his mind.

"Go out and take a walk. Get out of bed. Your worrying will do you no good. The most you'll get is more confusion." Hatori continued.

"I see what you mean, but I don't have that much time left…" Yuki muttered gloomily.

"You'd be wasting more time here in bed thinking then anything else."

Hatori left Yuki with those words. The door shut behind Hatori and Yuki sat there for a minute thinking about what Hatori had just told him. Hatori was right; Yuki hadn't gotten any closer to deciding how he was going to tell her or even if he was going to. He didn't think the answer would just come to him if he didn't think about the situation, but he really was getting nowhere sitting here in his room. Yuki had a ton of better things to do than staying in bed all day. Hatori had a point there. His eyes wandered over to the window. Ayame was right about one thing; it was a beautiful day. Yuki thought about how tempting it looked outside and decided he'd rather depict his situation outside instead of inside.

"I gotta get out of here…" Yuki mumbled as he scrambled out of bed.

He slid open the window, breathing in the fresh air hungrily. His foot was already on the window ledge when he remembered something. The last thing he wanted to do was forget to lock his door again. With the number of visitors he had today he wouldn't be surprised if someone else came, and he didn't want them to find an empty bed. He couldn't let anyone find out that he snuck out because then he wouldn't get to see his angel anymore. He darted back to his door and locked it. Without another thought he was already out of the castle and over the wall, heading to the one familiar place that he would only share with her, and nobody else. His feet took him there seeing as his mind was already miles away pondering over his situation once more.

Yuki sat on the cold hard dirt for what seemed like an eternity. He sat there dragging a stick through the dirt aimlessly in circles. The ground was already covered with his marks yet his mind wasn't any clearer. He sighed rolling the stick around between his fingers. Getting bored with the stick Yuki pulled his arm behind his head and tossed the stick into the water. He watched the ripples expand and slow fade away into nothing. That had been amusing while it had lasted. The stick floated aimlessly in the water, drifting farther and farther away from the shore.

"He says to relax, but it isn't that easy… This is hopeless..." Yuki muttered he fell back down onto his back.

Yuki stared up at the light blue sky. Soft clouds lazily drifted by in various shapes. He saw a little cloud in the shape of a flower. He smiled, thinking about how Tohru would react if she had seen that cloud. She'd probably have a bright smile across her face. He knew one thing for sure; she'd think it was adorable. Yuki yawned as he stretched his arms into the sky. He hated wasting his time like this, he should have called Tohru. He'd much rather spend time with her instead of lying here, supposedly relaxing and clearing his mind. Well, it was too late for that; his cell phone was in his room. Yuki grabbed a stone beside his hand and hurled it at the clouds in the sky envious of how carefree they seemed. Why couldn't he just be a cloud? Life would be a lot simpler that way. There'd be no forgotten past, annoying brother, or arranged marriage if he was a cloud. The pebble crashed back down beside his head. He partially wished the stone had hit him; he deserved to be punished for forgetting her.

Yuki sat up again as a gust of wind blew dried leaves past him. He cocked his head to the side when he saw the blood red petal being carried off by the breeze. His hand reached up securing the petal between his palm and fingers. He opened his fist slowly examining the petal more closely. The browning edges became more obvious to him. A swift gust snatched the petal back taking it to the distance. Yuki looked back at the roses he had planted and noticed where that petal had come from. Those roses were also turning brown. The roses were dying from either the chilly weather or the lack of water. Everyone knows that everything withers and dies after a while, but it still disappointed him to see his creation die. One minute they were bright and lively but now they were slowly dying. There was no way he could make the weather warmer, but he could water them.

"These were for her… I won't let them die that easily…" Yuki murmured determinedly.

He spent the rest of the afternoon hauling water to each rose bush and carefully watering each one individually instead of waiting for the rain to feed them. His hands acted as a temporary hoe, using his fingers to till the rough dirt until it was a rich chocolate color and softer than ever before. He worked on the roses until his hands were covered with small cuts and dribbles of blood. His hard work definitely helped. The roses shown with a more vivid color and had a healthier glow. Yuki beamed proudly. It's true. People do learn new things everyday. Today he had subconsciously learned more about his past self and present self. Never before in his life had he experienced the joy of tending to a garden, except for maybe the day he planted them for Tohru.

"She'll be happy… Knowing she'll smile made all that work worthwhile," Yuki smiled to himself.

He bathed his hands in the cool lake water washing off the filth and blood. His eyes widened when he saw his reflection in the lake. Yuki immediately splashed water onto his warm dirt caked face. He had to scrub at the dried dirt on his face to remove the debris. Yuki liked his lips craving something to drink, but there was no way he was going to drink lake water. There was no telling what had been in the lake, for starters there was dirt and the blood from him. Still, it was hot. He dragged his wet hands through his hair and let the cool water drip down his neck. The refreshing lake tempted him to dive in and take a swim, but the sound of footsteps stopped him from actually jumping in.

"Yuki-kun? What are you doing here?"

Yuki turned around to see Tohru standing there as beautiful as ever, her eyes brightly shining with joy and pure innocence. Tohru remained there with her head cocked to the side staring at him. She stared at him her eyes watching droplets of water slide down his face. A blush edged onto her cheeks; he was just so gorgeous when water was splattered across his body. He smiled at her glad to see her. One thing was crossed off the list of things he had to figure out. He didn't have to worry about whether he was worthy of seeing her anymore. It would be impossible for him to try and stop seeing her, but if he wanted to keep seeing her, that meant he would have to tell her that he was the prince of Kaze, someone her aunt and uncle despised, and that they had been previously engaged. Two more items crossed off, and now all he had to do was figure out how he would tell her, the hardest step of all.

"I could ask you the same thing princess," Yuki responded mysteriously.  
Tohru beamed warmly, not replying to his statement. Her reason was rather simple; she had an odd feeling in her gut that he would be here. So just because she felt like seeing him she wandered over. Seeing as she didn't want to sound like an obsessed fanatic of his, she kept silent. She walked over to where Yuki sat and kneeled down beside him. She instinctively took his hands in her smaller ones examining the rough cut up texture that ran across both his palms and the back of his hands. For the first time, she realized how soft and smooth they were before. Tohru turned his hand over inspecting his whole hand several times trying to figure out what he could have been doing. He grinned at her and closed his hand, trapping her hands in his. She flinched out of shock looking up at him. She gave up on trying to figure out what Yuki had been doing and decided to ask.

"What were you doing?" she asked worriedly.

"Tell me, do you notice anything different?"

"Eh?"

"Don't ask questions, just respond honestly."

She blinked gazing at him trying to figure out what he meant. He looked back at her not giving her any clues or hints that would help her understand what he was referring to. Tohru bit her lip and looked around hoping to answer correctly. Her eyes skimmed the area. Everything looked in place, nothing seemed to be missing; there were still twenty rose bushes planted around the lake. Maybe what he wanted her to notice wasn't something he had taken away but something he added instead? There didn't seem to be anything new in particular besides some faded scribbles in the ground, but she highly doubted he was talking about the marks in the ground. She glanced back at Yuki, but his expression remained the same; he sat there waiting for her answer. Her teeth dug into her lips as she struggled to find something before he lost his patience. Tohru scanned the scene for the tenth time before a droplet of water on a rose bud caught her attention.

"Well… Um… I think… the roses look prettier… I don't know if that's possible but I think they are…" Tohru replied praying that she was correct.

"That's what I've been doing, making them fit for a princess," he told her with a grin.

"You didn't have to do all of that! They were already so beautiful!" Tohru exclaimed admiring the roses from where she sat.

Yuki placed his hands onto her shoulders and pulled her onto his lap. Tohru felt her cheeks heat up as she gazed up at him. He simply grinned back at her and wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders. She couldn't keep a smile off of her face for two reasons, first, because she had guessed correctly and secondly, because being around him was enough to make her ecstatic. He held her closely finding it adorable how red and warm her cheeks were. Wanting to find out for himself how warm her skin was, he pressed the side of his face against her cheek in a loving gesture. He could feel the heat increase rapidly when he did that, and he smiled. Yuki moved his face away from hers before she burned to death and chose to continue their conversation.

"Not as beautiful as you…" he breathed into her ear.

No matter how many sweet things he told her she still managed to turn red. Her heart froze for a minute before beating faster and faster. His warm breath ticked the skin on her neck. She felt his lips press onto her cheek before he rested his chin on her shoulder. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered around again in a frenzy, making her feel a bit nauseous. She leaned backwards against his chest with a smile trying to ignore the feeling in her abdomen. Tohru wished she wasn't so shy and easily embarrassed so she could enjoy these types of situations more without having to be so self-conscious. Her bashfulness wasn't the only thing making her feel awkward though.

"What's wrong?" Yuki asked her.

"Nothing…"

Yuki frowned sensing that she was slightly uncomfortable at the moment. He couldn't figure out what was bothering her unless she didn't like him being so close to her. He moved his chin off of her shoulder and pulled away from her slightly, but that didn't seem to make her less tense at all. He just wanted to make all her worries go away, but he couldn't figure out how. All he seemed to be doing was giving her more troubles. He couldn't even tell her what he was supposed to, and now didn't seem like the right time since she had so much on her mind. Yuki didn't want to give her more burdens when she was stressed. His relationship with her was enough of a grievance. If her family was anything like his, he suspected she was having a lot of trouble; still, he didn't want to stop seeing her even if it meant she'd be more at peace. Regardless, he wanted her to feel at ease.

Yuki smiled devilishly as an idea came to him. Having her back to him and her face away, she didn't see his smile and suspected nothing. He leaned towards her pausing for a brief moment before leaving a trail of kisses up her slender neck. At that moment he was grateful that she was ticklish. Tohru gasped before starting to giggle uncontrollably. She flailed her arms around as she squirmed around on his lap trying to move out of his reach. She was unsuccessful since wherever she moved he would follow. Eventually she toppled off of his legs, but he caught her before she made contact with the ground. His lips never left her neck and she hadn't stopped laughing all the while. His fingers remained enclosed around her arm so she wouldn't fall. He stopped kissing her for a split second so he could pull her back upright.

"Yuki!" she squealed in between laughs.

"Mmm?" he mumbled continuing down her neck.

She turned around to him and covered his mouth with her hands before she died from laughter. He kissed her fingers in the same manner. He held onto her wrists gently but securely preventing her from trying to stop him anymore. Her whole body shook with her fit of laughter. It was getting harder and harder for her to get oxygen into her system. Abruptly he stopped his teasing game and wrapped his arms around her back tightly. She blinked surprised from the sudden switch from his playful actions to this seriousness. Tohru glanced up at him, but could only see the side of his face. She had no idea what was going through his head, but she rested her head on his chest anyways. Shyly she extended her arms and hugged him back. For a minute he was silent. They just sat there, bodies pressed together in an embrace. She didn't mind since she was pretty tired anyways.

"You don't have to worry anymore… Because I won't let you face anything alone from now on. Please tell me what's wrong. I'll always be here for you, to chase away all of your fears and worries. You can trust me. Even if I can't do anything I'm sure if you tell me you'll feel better. So please, tell me what to do to make you smile again…" Yuki quietly begged her holding her closely.

Tohru didn't respond. She could feel tears well up in her eyes. She hated herself sometimes; she detested being a princess; she loathed herself for still being with him when she knew she was supposedly engaged to another man. She was being unfaithful to her fiancée, wasn't she? But she didn't know him, she didn't love the guy, she had only met him once. How did her aunt and uncle expect her to marry the guy when the only man she wanted to be with forever was the one hugging her now? Tohru frowned, her lip quivering. She knew she was being selfish and unfair; she knew she wasn't considering Yuki's feelings in this. He'd end up more hurt if she let this go on, but she couldn't end things with him; she didn't want to. Love wasn't fair. Why did her heart have to go and give itself to him without her consent? Why did she have to love this man who she couldn't be with?

"Tohru? Please… Not just for you but for me… I need you here with me…" Yuki murmured.

He heard her sniffle. Yuki placed both of his hands on her cheeks raising her head so he was looking into her teary eyes. He noticed the tears now that had trailed down her face and onto his shirt. Tears continued to stream down her face. Her trembling hands grasped his collar as she pressed her face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her again, holding her like he would never let her go, letting her tears soak his shirt. He continued to hold her quivering body until she quieted down. Yuki felt her relax a bit. He stroked her hair urging her to calm down. Her clutch loosened slightly. Yuki peered down and smiled at the now sleeping woman. He rearranged her sleeping form cradling his sleeping beauty gingerly. She looked delicate and peaceful enough to be an angel aside from her tear streaked face. He leaned forward planting a sweet kiss on her forehead carefully so he wouldn't disturb her rest. Yuki brushed a couple of tears trapped on her eyelashes away wondering what could make his angel cry with such pain.

"I hope you never have to hear the things I have to tell you… But I know I must tell you if I want us to stay together forever… So please take it well… Please don't hate me for what I've kept hidden from you… Because my heart won't be able to take it…" Yuki whispered to her as he tightened his grip around her.

What was it about her that lured him to her all over again? What was it that made his heart throb when she cried? What was it that made him seem obsessive whenever he was around her? He didn't want her to be with any other guy; he didn't even want any other guys around her if he could help it. Everything he did now, he did with her in mind, yet he couldn't come up with any way to tell her what he needed to. Yuki closed his eyes for a minute trying to sort things out. His eyes snapped open when he felt her tense up all over again. Her breathing grew faster and hoarser. She was struggling with something. A cold sweat broke out across her body. Her grasp tightened around his shirt. Her face scrunched up, a look of fear crossing her face. It appeared as if she was fighting to wake up but just couldn't. He hated that frightened look on her face; he wanted to hurt whoever or whatever was scaring her.

"Tohru, Tohru! Tohru!!" he called her shaking her frigid body in attempt to awaken her.

"Tohru!!!" He exclaimed desperately, his voice filled with worry.

He shook her harder drastically while trying not to hurt her. Tears were dripping down her cheeks all over again. He needed her back with him now before he started crying with her. She did this to him, just the sight of her tears made him want to weep with her. Yuki closed his eyes in attempt to keep tears from sliding out. He glanced from her to the lake wondering if water would wake her up. Shaking his head, he decided that wasn't a good way to wake up a princess. He stared at her begging her to wake up. A shrill scream left her mouth as her eyes finally shot open. A look of relief instantly crossed his face. She gazed up at him, her eyes returning to their normal size. Her breathing slowed down as she glanced around slightly confused. The grip she had on his shirt remained the same. Subconsciously she bit her lip, her eyes darting around from side to side looking as if she thought a monster was beside her.

"What happened?" Tohru gasped.

"You had a nightmare," Yuki explained glad to have her back with him.

"Yuki-kun… I was so scared!" She choked out as tears started to form.

He clutched her dearly in a warm embrace trying to ease away all of her terror. Her tears hindered as her body started going back to a normal temperature. His arms made her feel safer than she had ever felt before. She smiled; the creases that had appeared on her face from her bad dream had faded away. Tohru knew she had nothing to be afraid of as long as Yuki was here with her. She was a bit embarrassed about having fallen asleep though. Actually, she wasn't even aware she fell asleep until she woke up. Her hands remained clenched on his shirt as she sniffled once more. He pressed his face into her long hair breathing in the scent of her shampoo with satisfaction. He felt so much better now that she wasn't crying or trembling with fear anymore.

"Please, I won't push it anymore… I know you'll tell me when you're ready… For now, just stop crying. I need to know that you're okay. Nothing else matters anymore. Just know that I won't let anyone hurt you so don't be scared anymore," He told her squeezing her tightly.

She nodded into his shoulder slipping her arms around his back. In his embrace, her nightmare no longer scared her. She smiled feeling the need to thank him for his kindness. It just seemed to get harder and harder for her to believe that this perfect man was hugging her. He was just too sweet and caring, and lately she couldn't help but wonder if he was someone she had made up. Tohru glanced up at him and tightened her grip around him to make sure he was real. He reacted by squeezing her back in his arms. His face held so much concern and now she felt bad for causing him to worry so much.

"I'm sorry…" she muttered into his chest.

"Don't be. I want you to know that you can tell me anything. I don't know if I can solve all your problems, but I promise I'll try my hardest. I'll always be with you, okay? Even if it isn't alright with you I don't think I care because I… I can't stop it now… I really am falling for you, faster and faster…" he said to her in a soft voice.

"Yuki…"

"Shh… You don't have to say anything…" Yuki mumbled to her placing his forefinger to her lips.

She wrapped her fingers around his wrist pulling his finger off of her mouth. She gazed at him directly in the eyes. He didn't try to silence her anymore; he wanted to hear what she had to say. Tohru was silent for a second a bit embarrassed to say what she wanted to. Her hands remained gripping his wrists to make sure he wouldn't stop her from speaking anymore. His eyebrows were raised now with curiosity. Staring into his warm grey orbs, her nervousness disappeared, yet her voice couldn't come out louder than a murmur.

"I'm falling for you too…" she barely whispered to him.

She released his wrists and snaked her arms around his neck planting a kiss on his lips. He slid his hands around her waist, his hold around her pulling her closer to him, and he returning the awaited kiss. His passion filled kiss seemed to calm her fears gradually until she could hardly remember what her nightmare had even been about. They broke apart when they were deprived of air and couldn't last any longer without oxygen. Tohru smiled at him shyly before resting her head upon his chest tiredly. His hold around her just tightened as if he was afraid she'd disappear if he let her go. He set his head on top of hers with a smile across his face. What she had said had made him happier than words could describe.

In truth what they had just said was mostly a lie. They weren't falling for each other at all anymore. They were way past that step. They had already fallen for each other in their previous relationship and again when they had their first meeting for the second time. There was no more falling, they had fallen and crash-landed into love. They were in love now even though neither of them knew it. Nothing could break this bond now, not even death himself. Love was the chain and lock that attached people together for eternity regardless of the thoughts of anyone else.

**Sorry for the late update! Please review! And if you want you should go have a look at my Deviantart page and see the more recent drawings I did for my fanfics! There are 2 for "Forget Me Not" and 1 for "The result". I'll put a link in my profile! 3 **


	19. Wishes From the Heart

Tohru shook in her bed. After that night, all she could feel was guilty, guilty for making promises she couldn't keep and for saying things she would go against sooner or later. Everything that she hadn't told him yet was slowly eating away at her bit by bit. Not the fact that she was a princess, she had a feeling he already knew this, but knowing that they could never be and yet wanting him, loving him, and telling him so many of her feelings yesterday, was killing her inside. Those feelings she had mentioned to him were nothing compared to how she truly felt. She hated herself for loving him and for allowing him to fall for her when she knew whom she HAD to be with. No matter how much she fought it, she knew she would be with the man she didn't love in the end. His face, their wedding, a future without Yuki, all of these haunted her each day and every night. Some nights she would even wake up breathless.

Nothing in her life had ever scared her this much. Her nightmares were so realistic that she couldn't sleep most nights; she didn't want to sleep either. She would wake up covered in ice-cold sweat droplets. It was getting harder and harder for her to keep it all to herself. She had already broken down in front of the person she wanted to burden the least with her fears. Eventually, he would question her about it, but every time she tried to tell someone, nothing would come out of her mouth. Slowly the tears she had been holding in slipped out of her watery eyes and fell onto her pillow. Tohru curled into a tight ball, pulling the covers up higher. She cried herself to sleep, and immediately, her nightmares attacked her. They wouldn't leave her alone no matter how much she tossed and turned.

_Tohru stood there dressed in a white dress in front of thousands of people. They were all wearing formal outfits and staring at her. Beside her was the dark haired man she detested so much. She had never hated someone before, but she hated Akito. He and the arranged marriage were the only things that were keeping her from being happy when she was around Yuki. Those were the two things that made her feel ashamed when she was around her silver haired lover. Akito wore a dark suit and smiled at her. For the first time, she noticed the pudgy priest standing before them and the flowers in her hands. What was going on? Why did she look so much like a bride, and why did Akito look like a groom? _

_"Do you, Akito, take Tohru Honda to be your lawfully wedded wife? To cherish and to hold in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the priest asked Akito. _

_"I do…" he grinned evilly. _

_Hearing his response, Tohru dropped the flowers she was holding. She opened her mouth to say something, but she could only continue to stare wide-eyed at Akito. He looked back at her with malevolence burning in his eyes. Peering at her, Akito gripped her fingers tautly in his frigid, bony hand. Tohru attempted to yank her hand away from him, but he was stronger than he appeared to be. His fingers remained latched around hers continuing to give her goose bumps across her arms. She grimaced and looked away from Akito as the priest turned towards her._

_"Do you, Tohru Honda, take Akito to be your lawfully wedded husband? To cherish and to hold in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the priest repeated to her._

_"I do…"_

_The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them. She couldn't take them back; it was too late. Tohru covered her mouth with her hands with dread as she tried to run away, but she couldn't move. Her body refused to budge even though she wanted to run, run to the only place she truly felt safe, to the lake and into Yuki's arms. Tohru turned her head away from Akito and the priest. Suddenly, she found herself facing Yuki. He looked like his heart had been ripped out, literally. Blood dripped down his arms and soaked through his shirt. His shaking hand reached out to her helplessly. Before she could do a thing Akito's hands cupped her chin firmly, and he gave her a rough kiss. She couldn't break away no matter how hard she tried. She couldn't push him away from her. After what seemed like hours he finally pulled away. The kiss was forgotten at the moment, but the pained look in Yuki's eyes lingered in her mind. Tohru immediately looked back for Yuki, but he was gone._

_"Yuki!" she called shoving her way through the thick crowd._

_A small group of people had formed in the center of the room. She practically ran there shoving and pushing people out of her way to see what they were looking at. Horrified, she gaped at the sight before her. Yuki lay there motionless. His eyes were shut; blood covered his once white shirt. Tears fell down her eyes as she tried to reach him. She extended her hand out to him, but the crowd moved in front of her refusing to budge. They cut Yuki out of her sight and began to chant, "Murderer… Murderer…"_

"No!!! NO!!!" Tohru shrieked finally awakening from her dream.

She sat upright, her heart pounding quickly within her chest. Her breaths came out short and choppy, and a thin coat of sweat covered her body. Tohru clenched her blanket tightly knowing she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. She had killed Yuki; she stared at her trembling hands with hatred. Tohru was well aware that Yuki had only died in her dream, but it showed her what might happen to him because of her and her engagement, and that terrified her. She shivered, wrapping the blanket around her small frame. How much she would give to have Yuki here with her, to have his arms around her to comfort her right now that she was scared; she would give up everything she had for that. Everything about him made her smile, especially how he knew exactly what she was feeling without her having to tell him.

Yuki had his way of making her feel better with just one touch, but Akito's touch hurt, his face was scarred into her mind. That kiss seemed so real, and the hurt in Yuki's eyes just broke her heart into a million pieces. Now she could see how different Akito and Yuki really were; they were polar opposites. Yuki was her warmth and her love, but Akito was cold, and he was her enemy. Ever shadow, every dark corner she expected to turn into Akito. Tohru couldn't stand the darkness any longer. She jumped out of bed and lit a small candle watching the small flame chase away the dark aura. All she could do was sit there in front of the candle sobbing silently as she waited for the sun to come up.

A short distance away, Yuki lay awake as well. He threw the covers off of his body as he hopped out of his bed. Finding himself unable to sleep, Yuki paced around his room. His eyes stung, and he knew wherever she was, Tohru was crying. Yuki walked over to his window and stood there leaning against the glass pane. He stared out into the dark sky, looking at the moon. Yuki wanted to call her and comfort her if she was indeed crying, but if she wasn't, then he'd be disturbing her in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. He tried to convince himself that he just had allergies, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Tohru was upset. Slowly he drew in a deep breath trying to calm himself down.

"If this will make you feel any better…I've decided Tohru. I will tell you everything, every one of my secrets. If you're going to find out one way or another, I want to be the one to tell you. I'm not sure when or how, but believe me, I will tell you," Yuki breathed slowly.

Hatori had been right after all. After he had relaxed the solution had just come to him. Still, he wanted to wait until he understood more of their past before he told her anything about their previous engagement. About his status as a prince, he wanted to keep a tight lid on that until she was less frightened and troubled. Now, he tried to decide whether he wanted to call her or not. He shut the curtains and opened his drawer staring at his cell phone indecisively. The phone sat next to the card she had given him and on top of the scarf she had knit for him. Seeing those items from Tohru, he took them as a sign and chose to call her. Slowly he dialed her phone number and waited for her to pick up.

---

Tohru jolted out of bed when she heard the ringing from her cell phone. In complete shock, she stared at it for a minute. It was midnight; who would call her so late at night? The part of her still thinking about Akito suspected the caller to be that evil man, but the sane half of her knew better; Akito didn't even have her phone number. Hesitantly, she grasped the phone in her hands. Staring at the screen of her phone, Tohru could only whisper his name before answering his call, "He-hello Yuki-kun…"

"Tohru, did I wake you?" Yuki asked worriedly.

"Ah… No, I was awake… I was thinking about something," Tohru responded slowly.

"Are you okay? Did you have another nightmare?" Yuki continued in a voice that let her know how concerned he was.

She froze nearly dropping the phone when she heard the later question. A bit of her had wanted to believe that he had forgotten about that night when she had cried so she wouldn't have to tell him the cause of her tears, but that wasn't like him. Yuki was the type of guy who would remember things she did or said that she couldn't even remember herself. That memory of his was both a sweet and horrible part of him to her. She liked how he knew everything she liked and how he could recollect any day they spent together and retell it like it happened yesterday, but that also meant he could recall every embarrassing thing she had done in front of him as well.

"I- I had a nightmare, but I'm fine," Tohru confessed. She chose to tell them the truth behind her insomnia, but her last statement was a lie. She wasn't fine at all; she was sleep deprived, she was scared, she was upset, and she longed to be with him. Tohru couldn't bring herself to admit any of those feelings so she decided to tell him the lie. The response from Yuki she got was a minute of silence. He was glad to hear her admit she had a nightmare, but for her to lie about her state of being, it disappointed him to hear that. As another minute of stillness passed, Tohru started to feel guiltier about not telling him the truth.

"It's okay if you'd rather not tell me that you're frightened and disturbed about your nightmares, but I'd prefer for you not to lie to me, okay Tohru?"

"I'm sorry… I won't do it again… I- I just miss you…" Tohru whispered.

It was Yuki's turn to feel at blame now that she had said all of that. He didn't really want her to apologize to him, but instead, he wanted her to confide in him. He wanted to be someone she could trust with anything she had to say, but at the moment, it didn't really seem that way. Yuki couldn't complain though, he was keeping plenty of things hidden from her, and she wasn't angry at him for it. Then again, she wasn't even aware that he had any secrets. She thought she was the only one at fault and did the only thing she could: apologize again and start to tell him that she was indeed terrified and agitated.

"Tohru, let's not talk about this, alright?"

"O-okay… Are you mad at me?" Tohru breathed fretfully. It was too soon for him to be angry at her; she hadn't even told him about Akito yet. She didn't even fully understand why he would be angry. Never before had anyone been annoyed with her because she said she was fine when she wasn't. It was her natural tendency to say things that would prevent people from worrying about her, and she didn't want Yuki to fuss over her nightmares. Tohru didn't want to be a disturbance to him, but if he wanted her to tell him exactly how she felt, she'd try her best to. All she really wanted was to be around him, and if she was more like what he wanted in a girl, maybe he'd want to spend more time with her too.

"No, it's not like that. I just want you to feel like you can tell me anything, but I'm probably pushing you too much. I'm sorry," Yuki told her regretfully. He did want her to feel like she could tell him anything that was on her mind and how she actually was feeling, but he didn't want to dishearten her when she was already depressed from her nightmares. That wasn't right; he had called Tohru with the intention of comforting her in mind, not causing her more grief. So far, he was failing. Maybe he shouldn't have called her, but if he hadn't she would have probably spent the rest of the night crying.

"No, it's my fault-" Tohru started, but Yuki cut her off before she could finish.

"Let's just forget this. Do you feel any better? Are you comfortable enough to go back to sleep yet or do you want to continue talking?" Yuki asked her.

"No… I'm sorry. I think I'm going to stay up longer, but I don't mean to keep you up! You should go to sleep! I don't want to get you in trouble! It's so late already…" Tohru rambled aimlessly not wanting him to feel obliged to stay up and keep her company. She knew he already had a big enough sleeping problem, and she didn't want to make it any harder for him to wake up in the morning. Humans needed sleep to function properly, and he wasn't the one with the sleeping issue at the moment. Regardless, she was grateful that he had called her. It made her happy to know he could somehow tell that she was upset even if he couldn't see her.

"Tohru, I called you this late because I _wanted_ to stay up and keep you company. I couldn't sleep anyways, so don't hang up on me, okay?" Yuki smiled.

"Ah… Okay… But please tell me if you get tired!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Only if you talk softer so no one will hear you," Yuki laughed.

To this, Tohru blushed but agreed. He was right after all, someone would hear her if she kept shouting in the middle of the night. Somehow, he had already managed to make her feel at ease. A few minutes ago, she was weeping, but now, she was smiling and giggling. He truly was a miracle, he was her miracle. She had no clue what she would have done without him. If only everyone else could see how much he meant to her, if only he knew how important he was to her, if only they could be together, then her life would be complete.

---

A couple of nights later, Yuki lay on the soft green grass beside the lake with Tohru. The cool night air was surprisingly relaxing. Moonlight enraptured the forest in a silvery light with the stars shining brightly above, illuminating the sky as tiny diamond-like specks. Neither of them had said much to the other, they just lied there in silence, simply enjoying being with each other. Tohru had her head resting on Yuki's bicep and both of her hands locked around his shoulder. Her grip was firm, she was afraid to let go of him. Yuki kept the rest of the arm she was laying on wrapped around her thin shoulder, and he used his other hand to stroke her soft mahogany colored hair.

"Yuki?" Tohru started turning her head slightly so she faced him directly.

"Nn?"  
"About me crying the other day…" she murmured nervously.

She looked down again trying to decide how to tell him about Akito once more. No matter how many times she reordered the sentences she came up with, the conversation would still end with her telling him she was engaged to another man. No matter how many times she reworded the phrases, they still sounded bad to her. Tohru had given up on trying to make her engagement sound minor and unimportant a while ago, but she was still nervous about telling him. She was especially anxious about his reaction. The last thing she wanted was for Yuki to be mad at her. Her hold around his shoulder tightened with the thought that he might not like her anymore.

"It's okay. I'm glad you're letting out your feelings," Yuki smiled at her.

"I think I should tell you why I was crying," Tohru continued uneasily.

"You don't have to tell me now… I'll wait until you're more comfortable, but whenever you're ready, I'll listen," Yuki told her gently.

Tohru looked up at him with her large brown eyes and beamed faintly. It was a relief to hear that he didn't need to hear her reason now. She wanted to think over how she'd tell him some more, and she also wanted to see whether she could get out of the engagement or not. If she could somehow manage to get away with not marrying Akito, there would be no point in getting Yuki all worked up. Yuki looked down at her, glad to see he was able to get her to relax a little more than she had been before. He didn't mind waiting to hear what had made her cry as long as she didn't feel like it would harm her in any way, and she seemed safe and sound to him. Caressing her long dark stands in a comforting act, he admired the beauty of his princess.

"Thank you…" she whispered to him.

Yuki pulled her closer to him wanting to convey his feelings towards her through the simple gesture. She moved closer to him, settling her cheek down on his chest as her arms inched their way around his neck. They stayed there with each other lost in their own thoughts. Tohru, still trying to figure out a way to tell Yuki about Akito, and Yuki, still attempting to find a method to tell Tohru about his status, about their past, and about Machi, neither of them wanted to keep secrets from the other, but for now, it was the simplest thing to do. Yuki took a deep breath. After hearing Tohru try so hard to tell him her secret, he felt ashamed since he hadn't attempted to tell her anything yet. He felt obligated to tell her at least one of his secrets now.

"Tohru…I have to tell you somethi-"

Tohru started to nod in response to what he said, but staring up at the sky silently, she couldn't help but cut in when something bright flew across the sky catching her eye. Her jaw dropped with excitement as she sat up. Pausing in his statement, Yuki arched his eyebrow up at her, curious to know why she wasn't laying down anymore. A smile spread across her face as she turned her head to face Yuki. She thrust her finger up pointing to the sky. She stared at him like she expected him to understand what she meant just by pointing at the sky. He gazed blankly back at her. Tohru joyfully directed his attention back to the sky, "Yuki-kun! Look! A shooting star!"

Yuki couldn't help but smile. Seeing her so giddy, he knew he wouldn't be able to continue the sentence he had started. He couldn't find it in his heart to ruin her joyous mood with his news. He didn't want her smile to falter and fade. There would always be tomorrow or the day after for him to tell her. Rest assured, he would most definitely tell her sooner or later, but for now, he wanted her to continue smiling.

"Make a wish!" she exclaimed.

Tohru immediately closed her eyes and put her hands together to pray. She had a ton of things she wanted, but there was obviously one thing she wanted more than anything else. Yuki chuckled at her serious demeanor. He couldn't remember the last time he had made a wish on a shooting star. He didn't really believe in this sort of thing. When he was younger, he used to make a wish every time he saw a meteor, but none of his wishes ever came true; his parents were still _his_ parents, Ayame and Shigure were still alive, he was still a prince, his wishes changed nothing in his life. It was probably around then when he stopped believing in wishes, but he was glad to see Tohru get so excited over something as small as a meteor. He partially desired to be that shooting star now so he could know what Tohru wanted most. It was his wish for her to get whatever she yearned for.

"Please let me stay with Yuki-kun forever… That's my wish. I want to be able to love him…" Tohru mumbled to herself too softly for Yuki to be able to make out anything.

Tohru's eyes opened, and she looked up at Yuki asking, "Did you make a wish?"

"You're so cute…"

Tohru blushed darkly. She looked down noticing that his hands weren't folded together for wish making as hers were. Quickly, she yanked them apart feeling a bit stupid for doing something so childish in front of him. Usually she didn't mind making wishes in front of others since they always prayed with her, but when she was doing it alone, she felt foolish, and the last person she wanted to appear idiotic in front of was Yuki. Before she could even think about apologizing, Yuki encircled her within his arms and drew her back down into a laying position. Wide-eyed she laid on top of him with her mouth hanging open. Yuki tugged her upwards with his hands under her arms. He sat up continuing to pull her up until her face was a few inches away from his.

"My only wish is to be with you…" he replied sweetly gazing into her eyes, _"Well and that you'll accept me…"_

"Eh?! Yuki! You can't tell me your wish or it won't come true!" Tohru gasped.

"But it already came true… You're with me right now," he responded with a grin.

She was already embarrassed after hearing what he wanted, but now, she couldn't even look at him anymore without getting flustered. Her cheeks grew darker as she burrowed her face into his chest. Her pounce like maneuver caused him to lose his balance and fall back down onto the grass. Tohru gripped his shirt tightly, not wanting to show him how red her face was. Yuki laughed wrapping his arms around her back. He buried his face in the nape of her neck squeezing her in return.

"I'll never let you go, ever…" he muttered to her tightening his embrace.

Her grip slowly loosened as she moved her hands from his shirt to around his waist. Tohru hugged him back. She closed her eyes feeling safe for the first time in days. Holding her protectively, he kissed the top of her head. If she had the choice, she'd never return to her home, the palace. She'd rather stay here with Yuki for the rest of her life even if she'd miss Kisa and Haru dearly. It wasn't like she loved Yuki more than Haru and Kisa. She loved the three of them equally but differently. It was just that her heart ached when she was away from Yuki. Tohru would never say that, but she did want him to hold her forever and never let go.

"I'll make sure that whatever you wished for comes true. You can count on that," Yuki vowed to her.

She looked up into his eyes with her adorable smile and flushed cheeks that made his heart melt. He loved it when she was cheerful; he loved it when she was beaming and blushing; he just loved her in general. It made him grin just seeing her so joyful. He sat up with her still seated across his lap. Yuki lifted his hand bring it to her cheek and brushing a strand of hair out of her face. Tohru placed her hands over his and continued looking delighted.

"You don't have to do that! A wish is a wish! It might come true, but it might not…" she said.

"It's not about having to… It's about me wanting to. Anything that'll make you happy, I'll do…"

They locked gazes for a moment. Tohru didn't have anything to say in response to that. It was a pretty ridiculous statement but sweet nonetheless. Lucky for him, her wish hadn't been that outrageous. Her wish would actually have been pretty reasonable if they were ordinary people, but they weren't. They were the prince and princess of two opposing countries; staying with one another for the rest of their lives would be nearly impossible. Tohru was still oblivious to the extent of how forbidden they actually were. She still thought the only problem with their relationship was that she was a princess, but Yuki knew. He knew how far their families would be willing to go to keep them apart, and because of that, he didn't want her to know his status.

"Can we stay like this forever?" she asked in a soft voice.

Yuki slid their hands off of her face and grabbed both of her hands, intertwining his fingers with hers. Her tiny hand fit in his larger one like they were made to wrap around one another; they went together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle. For a moment, he just held her hands not replying to her statement. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze in response. Tohru smiled and clutched his hands firmly in return. She knew how absurd her request was; she knew they couldn't stay like that forever, but it was what she wanted; it was what her wish had been; it was what her heart desired most.

Her wish wasn't granted that night; as usual he walked her home and gave her a kiss goodnight before returning to his home.


	20. What Keeps Him Drawn to Her

It seemed like her nightmares were worse this night. Her whole body trembled and shook with terror. She couldn't even wake up and escape the dream until she toppled off her bed. Finally awake, Tohru sat on the floor oblivious to the pain she felt from the fall and started to cry because of her nightmare instead of her injuries. Tears slipped off of her face and dripped onto the floor leaving a dark and large stain on the wooden floor. Just one night, one night without Akito visiting her in her sleep was all she needed, but Akito wouldn't leave her alone. He would kiss her and touch to the point when she couldn't even consider herself a virgin some nights. They were just dreams; she knew she couldn't lose her virginity from a nightmare, but they were too realistic for her to handle.

"Mom! Help me!" Tohru wept.

Akito was on her mind almost as much as Yuki was nowadays. She had only met Akito that one time, but her aunt and uncle brought him and her engagement up every single day. They had everything planned from their wedding date to names for their future children. Tohru hated her engagement to Akito. It made her feel so helpless and small. She knew she had told herself she was going to try and get out of this marriage, but it turned out to be harder than she had expected. She couldn't even bring the topic up; she was too scared, and every time the king and queen brought Akito up, she couldn't find her voice. Tohru whimpered to herself as she climbed back onto her bed. She tried wiping away her tears, but they continued to flow endlessly and more strongly. Little did she know, she was also crying very loudly.

"Onee-chan?"

Tohru looked up through her watery eyes at the orange haired girl standing in front of her with a frown across her face. Blinking a couple of times from shock, Tohru stared at her sister in disbelief. She hadn't even heard Kisa enter. Why was Kisa in here at this time of night? She wiped furiously at her eyes trying to erase all signs that showed she had been crying from her face. She hated making people worry over her, and by the look of Kisa's face, she was extremely concerned.

"Kisa!" Tohru exclaimed through her sniffles and sobs.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Kisa asked worriedly.

Tohru forced a smile on her face as she replied, "I'm fine! Nothing's wrong!"

Kisa didn't look like she believed a word Tohru had just said. A frown spread across her face, and her lips began to quiver, tears begging to escape from her eyes. Seeing her big sister in pain made Kisa's heart hurt. She felt like a bad sister right now. She should have noticed something; she should have known Tohru was sad, but she didn't know a thing until tonight. Still, she had no idea why Tohru was crying or even how many nights Tohru woke up crying. Tohru seemed like her normal cheerful self in the morning so Kisa hadn't suspected a thing, and now she felt guilty about that.

"Onee-chan! Don't cry anymore!" she cried.

Tohru was startled by Kisa's cries. Kisa stood there with tears trickling out of her eyes. She buried her face into her hands as Tohru had done earlier to hide her tears. Tohru smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around the tiny girl. Kisa eventually stopped crying, but she had grown very sleepy in the process. She had been sleepy when she entered Tohru's room, but now she couldn't even keep her eyes open anymore. Her eyes would shut for a moment then snap open and then slowly close again. Tohru noticed this and scooted over in her bed allowing Kisa to climb onto her bed. Kisa willingly dropped down beside Tohru and was instantly asleep. Tohru beamed, wrapping her arms around Kisa before joining her in her sleep.

The next morning Haru was in search for Kisa. He had waited in the parlor for his little sister for over an hour, but she never showed up. The two of them met down there every other morning to discuss Tohru and her mysterious outings in privacy. They didn't want anyone to learn of what they were talking about so they always met up early in the morning before any servants started their work. In all of their meetings, they never really were able to conclude, with proof, what Tohru really did when she snuck out, but they both knew it most likely had to do with Tohru's want to see someone named Yuki. That Yuki, they hoped was the same Yuki, prince of Kaze, she had been previously engaged to several months ago.

"Where could she be…?" Haru muttered to himself after checking her room for the tenth time that morning.

He had circled around in and out the whole castle. Haru had checked the parlor twenty times in case she went there late, the servants' chamber three times, and he had even walked through the dungeons twice. Most of the places he had been were pretty unreasonable, but Kisa was still nowhere to be found. The only place he hadn't checked was Tohru's room. Haru glanced down the hall at the door to Tohru's room and walked over there. He paused outside of her room trying to decide whether he wanted to enter or not.

Haru had a difficult time trying to make up his mind. He originally hadn't looked in there because he thought it was unlikely for Kisa, or even Tohru, to be in there. There was still a chance that Kisa was inside, but if Tohru wasn't in her room, he wasn't sure how he'd react to that. Haru didn't like it when secrets were kept from him, and he couldn't stand her secrecy; he needed to know what she was up to. He would be fine with her sneaking off to see Yuki as long as she told him where she was going. He was her brother, and she couldn't trust him? That thought made him angry. It wasn't like he would blurt out her secret to anyone. Haru took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before struggling to think clearly.

Haru pondered for a moment longer before deciding to check. There was no harm in checking for Kisa as long as Tohru was in there, but if Tohru wasn't in there, Haru wasn't sure if he could restrain himself from confronting Tohru about her outings any longer. Choosing to take his chances, he knocked quietly at first, partially not wanting to go in, but when nobody answered, he knocked again more loudly. Still, there was no response. At this point he naturally assumed Tohru was 'out' and Kisa was still missing.

"Great…"

He was about to leave, but he figured that since he was here already, he might as well make sure that Kisa wasn't in there. Haru took another deep breath and opened the door hesitantly. He felt uncomfortable entering a girl's room without permission by himself, but he had no other option. Tediously, he took a step into the dark room and squinted his eyes in attempt to help his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Like the first time he had gone into Tohru's room when she was out, all the curtains were drawn shut. As he neared the bed, he made out the figures of his two sleeping sisters. Kisa was sleeping soundly against Tohru who had her arms around the small girl. Both wore smiles on their faces. Haru let out a sigh of relief and smiled before he exited the room and shut the door satisfactorily.

Kisa stirred and woke up from the noise Haru made when he left the room. Her eyes popped open instantly beginning to scan the room over. This wasn't her room, and from the darkness, she was unable to recognize this place as Tohru's room. She knew she was still in the palace at least by the familiar patterns on the ceiling and walls, but that didn't help her identify her location. The castle was huge and had tons of rooms that probably had walls and ceilings that were identical to this one.

"Where am I?" She breathed tiredly.

She flipped over and came face-to-face with Tohru. Kisa almost shrieked before she remembered the events of last night. She let out a sigh and stared up at the ceiling. At least she knew where she was now, but she had a new worry to fuss over: the cause of Tohru's tears. She didn't know what to do at the moment. She was supposed to be talking to Haru about Tohru right now, and she knew Haru was probably waiting for her or looking for her, but she didn't want to leave Tohru just yet. The little girl frowned slightly; troubled by the harsh tears Tohru had shed last night. What could be troubling Tohru so much?

"I wonder why Onee-chan was crying…" she mumbled aloud.

As far as she knew, nothing seemed to be wrong. The king and queen haven't been exceptionally mean to them. Not a single thing stuck out to her as a possibility to be the reason Tohru was crying unless it was Yuki's fault. Tohru went out alone so there was no way Kisa could be sure that this Yuki was really her old fiancée. The Yuki Tohru was seeing could be evil and forcing her to go see him, but if that was the case, she didn't think Tohru could be genuinely happy in the mornings. Kisa had figured out one thing; something about the night bugged Tohru. As she thought about this, Tohru moved closer to her and hugged her more tightly in her sleep almost as if she was trying to comfort her. Tohru giggled, still dreaming about something. This was the longest she had slept for days. Kisa smiled glad to hear Tohru laugh instead of weep.

"I hope you're dreaming about him… You don't know how much I want to tell you about him, but if I do, Hakufu and Oubasan would be mad… For now, I just hope you two will grow to love each other as much or even more than you loved each other before." Kisa whispered silently.

Kisa looked at her peaceful looking sister and added, "Please forgive me for choosing my own safety over your love…"

Tohru's face scrunched up as she yawned and sat up. She stretched her arms toward the ceiling before letting them drop back down to her sides. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked a couple of times to get her eyes used to the dark room. She turned to face Kisa with a grin across her face. Tohru knew Kisa had said something to her, but she wasn't sure what she had said. She had been more focused on the dream she just had. Instead of Akito visiting her in her dreams, Yuki had, like the numerous times he had before she was aware of her engagement. In this dream, she and Yuki had been driving to a chapel to get wed. They had been laughing, happy, and purely in love, but her dream ended before they ever arrived. She had lay on her bed in a state of half sleep struggling to rejoin her dream, but she was unable to go back, and Kisa's voice had made her wake up completely.

"What did you say?" Tohru asked.

"Nothing!" Kisa cried with a startled blush.

The younger of the two faced her feet not wanting Tohru to catch her lying. Tohru was oblivious as usual; she was too lost in her dream world to even notice Kisa's red face or her shaking body. For her entire life, Tohru had believed that dreams had a hidden meaning behind them, and right now, she hoped she had been correct. She really hoped that dream had been more of a premonition than a dream so she could know that someday she would be Yuki's wife. She could imagine them together, ten or twenty years from now, in a brightly colored room with several children. There was no use picturing it in her mind she decided as she let out the breath of bliss she had been holding in.

"… Well then, how about we go get breakfast?" Tohru suggested cheerfully.

Kisa beamed and slid out of bed with a quick nod. Both of them were glad to have the topic change. Kisa didn't want Tohru to find out that she had just mentioned the forbidden past, and Tohru was happy that Kisa didn't question her about the dorky, joyful look on her face. Tohru followed Kisa down to the dining hall. They laughed as they entered talking about random subjects. Upon entering, they found they wouldn't be eating breakfast alone as they usually did. Immediately, they froze and hushed when they saw their aunt and uncle seated at the table.

"Good morning girls," greeted their kind sounding yet sinister voices.

"Good morning!" they choked out.

They stood close to the wall as if they wanted to run out of there. Their hunger was cast aside when they saw the cold eyes of the king and queen. This meal would obviously be filled with 'proper manners' meaning if they don't want to be yelled at, they would have to sit up straighter than straight, fold their hands across their laps when they weren't eating, keep their elbows off the table, take extremely small, lady-like bites, and not speak unless spoken to, not exactly what they considered a fun meal. Tohru also knew the conversation wouldn't be much better seeing as her aunt and uncle were only interested in talking about Akito which meant Kisa would soon learn about Tohru's engagement, something Tohru didn't want anyone to learn about.

"Don't just stand there, sit down!" ordered Hakufu in a cold tone.

"Y-yes!" they both responded quickly as they took their seats next to each other nervously.

The double doors swung open, and a grumpy looking maid entered with two dishes of food in her hands. Not many people honestly liked the king and queen, at most two or three people, and this maid wasn't part of that minority. She forced a cheery attitude as she set the plates in front of the king and queen. When she saw Tohru and Kisa there, she scurried off to get more dishes. Feelings towards the princesses and prince were a bit more varied; about half of the people liked them, and the other half were jealous to the point of hatred. This maid didn't show a like or a dislike towards Kisa or Tohru. She was back in less than a minute with two more plates. Tohru and Kisa thanked her, and after the king and queen dismissed the maid, she left without uttering a word.

The four of them ate their breakfasts silently. Nobody spoke; the only sound was the scratch of their forks against the glass of the plates. The awkwardness in the air would be obvious to any observer. Tohru and Kisa shifted in their seats not really liking the silence, but it was better than listening to their aunt scold their every move. Either way, they preferred to eat alone. Tohru had another reason to be grateful for the silence; she didn't want them to mention Akito. She hadn't even touched her meal yet out of anxiety.

"A-hem..." coughed Hakufu clearly disliking the silence.

"Tohru, aren't you glad to be starting to see your future husband in a few months? He called last night to inform us that he will be going through with the marriage," Oubasan informed the brunette with a cruel grin.

"Y-yes…" Tohru barely whispered.

Tohru didn't like the subject she chose to start the conversation with. She tensed up uneasily, and Kisa peered up at her with confusion. This was the first time she heard anything about a marriage. Tohru looked away from Kisa, clearly not wanting to discuss the engagement and her true feelings towards it in front of the king and queen. Tohru's body began to shake uncontrollably with dread. She couldn't even hold her fork properly anymore, and it slipped out of her fingers and landed on the floor. Kisa bent down and picked it up for her, but Tohru didn't acknowledge her hand with her fork.

"Oh! I almost forgot to ask you, but which name do you prefer for your first born male, Akio, Akira, or Aoi?" Oubasan asked.

Tohru fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably. She didn't meet either of their gazes. Her eyes were focused on the untouched food on her plate. All of those names reminded her of that evil man so she didn't like any of those names. She didn't dare speak her mind, but she couldn't think of a response to her question, and the queen wasn't known for her patience. Tohru clenched her hands together and squeezed her eyes shut as her brain scrambled around for a suitable answer. Why didn't her brain ever work when she needed it too? Luckily for her, Haru barged in before they pressed her for a reply.

"I think Yuki would be the best choice," Haru suggested with a wry grin.

Tohru glanced up at him relaxing slightly. As long as Haru was here, he would protect her from their aunt and uncle. Kisa peered up at Haru blankly still unaware of what was going on exactly. So far, she figured out that Tohru was supposedly engaged to some man, Tohru wasn't happy about it, and her aunt was. The king and queen glared at Haru with flames burning in their icy eyes. Tohru looked up at the two of them with fear in her eyes. She didn't know why they were so angry. Sure, Haru came in and jumped into a conversation he wasn't invited into, but he always did that, and they were never this angry. Did it have something to do with what he said? Some thing to do with _Yuki… _

"What did you say?" they barked in unison.

"I was just stating my opinion. No need to get worked up. It's just my thought that Yuki would suit her better," Haru answered nonchalantly.

"Well we don't want your opinion," snapped Oubasan.

"Anyways, we're speaking of her child's name, so don't you dare try to switch the topic to suitors," Hakufu ordered.

Everyone ignored Tohru's confused look. She turned to everyone for an explanation, but even Kisa didn't meet her gaze. What did Haru mean by that? Tohru swallowed anxiously wondering if her brother had found out about Yuki. At least, by what he had said so far, he didn't seem to hate Yuki, but Haru didn't even know Yuki as far as she knew. So of course Haru couldn't detest Yuki, someone he didn't know. Well, she couldn't hate someone she never met; she wasn't so sure about Haru. The king and queen seemed to hold resentment against someone named Yuki though, which meant, her fantasy about being Yuki's wife would be impossible if they hated _her_ Yuki.

"I wasn't talking about suitors; I was talking about her baby's name. But why are we discussing her child's name? She's not even married. Isn't it a bit too soon to be talking about that? It would make more sense to be talking about who her husband will be," Haru added calmly as he took his seat across from Tohru and Kisa.

"We already picked her husband," Oubasan responded.

"But, did you ask her how she felt about it?" Haru asked.

"Her feelings don't matter. What's been decided will remain that way because we only want what's best for Tohru," Hakufu told him.

Their conversation was getting heated. Both Tohru and Kisa didn't dare to join in and add more fuel to the fire. The two girls clamped their hands together to comfort one another. Kisa didn't want Tohru to get worked up over this man, and Tohru knew Kisa was afraid of the king and queen. Kisa had given up on returning the fork to Tohru; it was dirty anyways. She just wanted to keep Tohru's mind off of the engagement. Now, she was pretty sure she knew the cause for Tohru's tears. Tohru had been crying because she didn't want to get married to this man.

"Oh, so let me get this straight. Akito, the prince of that puny castle with no money and no-name country is the best choice?"

"Yes, he is the best choice; no one else would do…"

"Really? Not even… How about that wealthy prince of Kaze? I heard he's still single and pretty handsome. What was his name again…? Ah that's right, it was Yu-"

"DON'T bring **him** into this conversation!!" Oubasan interrupted him furiously.

Kisa and Tohru were taken aback by her loud outburst. This was the first time they had seen her react so quickly. Tohru could have sworn Haru was going to say Yuki's name, but that was impossible. Yuki wasn't a prince, was he? There was no way Yuki could be a prince and not tell her about it. If he was actually a prince, did that mean they could get married after all? She subconsciously kicked herself as a punishment for not paying attention to the rest of the description of the prince Haru was describing. If she had known the country the prince was from, she could have asked around or done some research to find out exactly who the prince was! Haru didn't add on to the description much to Tohru's dismay, but he didn't seem to be backing down either. Though he kept his cool, he was extremely angry on the inside.

"And why not? Is there a specific reason why you don't like him? I just think he would benefit us more than the prince of some unknown country. That's what you want right, more money?" Haru pointed out, his irritation with them starting to grow.

"We have our reasons…"

"And what are those?" Haru questioned.

"That's none of your business," Hakufu growled in a low angry voice.

"So if you don't want to tell me, shall I guess? Does he know something you don't want people to find out? Afraid that if he remembers, your reputation will drop?"

Their aunt stood up; her hand flew to Haru's cheeks connecting with his face in the form of a painful slap. Tohru and Kisa jumped up and flinched from the sound now holding onto each other in a tight embrace. The queen was too angry at Haru to even comment on their immature clinging. Haru cringed before he raised his eyebrows at her waiting for her to explain her actions at the least. He lifted his hand to cover his quickly reddening cheek. No one made a sound, not even the king who was supposed to be more powerful than the queen.

"Shut up!!!" she shrieked.

She withdrew her hand and sat back down like nothing had happened. Picking up her fork, she went back to eating her breakfast without another word. Everyone else in the room kept silent except for Haru. Both Haru and his aunt were very stubborn, and because of this, there was no telling when the argument would end. Neither of them liked to lose a fight either. This argument could last hours or even days, but until it was over, none of them could leave the room.

"I was right, wasn't I?" Haru laughed lightly.

Tohru and Kisa gazed at Haru fretfully. First, they were concerned about his cheek, but they were also worried about what was going to happen to him if he kept arguing. Their brother could be locked up in the dungeon for a day again if he didn't end the argument and apologize soon. The king and queen remained quiet, most likely to come up with some sort of punishment. To Tohru and Kisa, silence was better than having the fighting continue, but Haru didn't seem to believe the same. Haru grunted and stood up.

"C'mon, Tohru, Kisa, let's get outta here," Haru spoke to them loud enough for people outside of the room to hear.

Haru turned around and walked towards the exit. Tohru and Kisa stood up with a bow. Neither of them was sure who they wanted to obey at the moment, their aunt or Haru. Both Haru and the queen were scary when they got angry, and the two of them were furious at the moment, but the two sisters agreed to go with Haru though since he was their brother and friend. The queen never liked them anyways; they'd rather keep on Haru's good side.

"Haru, you know if you tell her anything, you won't be around long enough to see the next sun rise," warned Hakufu as he took a sip of his wine.

"Is that a threat?" Haru chuckled.

He knew exactly what would happen to him if he told Tohru about her past relationship with Yuki. First off, he'd be locked in the dungeon for god knows how long, and right beside him would be Tohru. That was the reason he didn't want to tell her; he didn't want his sister to suffer because of something he did. He wouldn't mind staying down in the dungeon; he was sent down there so many times that he practically considered it his second room, but Tohru was another story. She was scared of dark places and insects; she wouldn't survive a day in there. Haru left the room slamming the doors shut after Kisa and Tohru were safely through. He didn't say anything to them but continued walking. Kisa and Tohru exchanged a glance before they followed Haru to his room.

"Close the door," he muttered as he dropped down onto his bed.

Kisa nodded and closed the huge wood doors gently. The three of them were silent for a few minutes before speaking. Each one of them had a lot on their mind along with various questions. Haru wanted to know more about Tohru's engagement, Tohru was concerned about Haru and was curious about what the king had said back there, and Kisa had both of their concerns on her mind. They both tried to figure out what was safe to ask and what wasn't. Tohru didn't seem to be ready to talk about her engagement, so it looked like Haru and Kisa would have to do some snooping to learn about that. Haru's injured cheek looked like the better topic to start with.

"Are you okay Nii-san?" Tohru asked in a worried voice.

Haru sat up on his bed looking at them both directly and smiled, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Kisa asked noticing his cheek was turning black and blue.

"Yeah, I'm positive." Haru reassured them.

"You shouldn't argue with Hakufu and Oubasan!" Tohru scolded him lightly now that she was sure that he was alright.

"So do you really want to marry Akito?"

Tohru opened her mouth to respond, but there was nothing she wanted to say in response to that. Marrying Akito was the last thing she wanted to do, but she didn't want to let her brother and sister know that. Her engagement was her problem. She didn't want Haru or Kisa to suffer on her behalf. Tohru could solve this problem on her own without the help of anyone, or at least, she hoped she could. Also, it was rather embarrassing to talk about an engagement she didn't want to be a part of. Besides, if they asked her why she didn't want to marry Akito, she'd have no reasons she could tell them. She couldn't tell them she thought Akito was evil or that she couldn't marry Akito because she loved Yuki. Both of those were her secrets.

"No, but…"

"I was just defending you so you wouldn't have to," Haru explained.

Tohru blushed slightly embarrassed. She was never good at sticking up at herself. She sacrificed too many of her wants and her needs just to satisfy and please the ones around her. Haru just hoped Tohru wouldn't marry this guy just to keep her aunt happy. He couldn't let her do that, especially since he wanted her to be with Yuki. He had made them a promise when they were engaged previously. He had vowed to never let anyone try to separate them, and Yuki had also made a promise. Yuki had told him he'd take care of Tohru forever. Haru wasn't going to let him go back on that swear.

"But I don't want to get hurt…" Tohru whispered sadly.

"I'd rather get hurt now than see you miserable for the rest of your life," Haru replied seriously.

Haru walked over to her and placed his hand over her head patting it gently. Tohru peered up at him with her chocolate orbs and smiled. She didn't seem to mind being treated like a dog. What he had said really made her feel better about this engagement to Akito. It made her feel less alone in her fight against her aunt and uncle. Maybe with Haru on her side, she had a greater chance of getting out of it. She needed whatever help she could get if she wanted to marry someone she loved.

"So don't be upset because this is my choice," Haru told her.

Tohru beamed happily. She wasn't upset; she was grateful to have such a caring and supporting brother and sister. Even if she had to marry Akito, it wouldn't be that bad because she knew she'd still have Haru and Kisa, and even if she couldn't see Yuki anymore, she still had his image burned into her head and countless memories. She'd be with him forever. If she wasn't at his side physically, her soul, heart, and mind would never leave him. Tohru had given those to him, and she couldn't take them back, and she didn't want to. She wanted him to keep those three things and cherish them preferably. Hopefully what she felt for him wasn't just unrequited love.

"How about we do something together, just the three of us? We haven't hung out together in a while," Haru suggested with a grin.

"What are we going to do?" Kisa asked excitedly.

"Anything, just can we please leave this place?" Tohru pleaded softly.

"Alright then, I'll surprise you both. Let's go," Haru said as he opened the door.

They all peeked down the halls, making sure it was empty before they slipped out and headed towards the main exit. When they got there, they found guards standing in front of the double doors, blocking their way out. There were only three of them, but all of them were holding weapons of various kinds. Why was it turning out to be so difficult just to go out and spend time together? Family bonding was still a good thing, wasn't it? Was one family outing too much to ask for? It wasn't like they were asking their aunt and uncle to come along as well. All they wanted was a day together without guards surrounding them and without the stares of everyone around them. Just a simple ordinary day that everyone else took for granted was all they wanted.

"Move aside," Haru commanded as he went up to a guard.

"Please forgive me, but your majesty ordered everyone to remain in the castle," The guard responded meekly.

"Huh, is that so? Then please forgive **me** for this," Haru mumbled as he pulled back his fist and knocked out the guard.

"Haru-nii!!!" Kisa and Tohru squealed shocked by his actions.

"Let's go. Nobody is going to stand in our way," Haru told them determinedly.

There were two reasons he wanted to go outside so desperately. First off, he wanted to spend time with his sisters, and the second one wasn't so honorable; he wanted to get on the king's and queen's nerves as much as he could. He was angry at them, and they deserved it. After their parents died, they had no freedom whatsoever, and he for one was sick of it. Haru would have protested in a more violent manner, but Tohru wouldn't have approved. He kicked opened the bolted doors and held them open for Tohru and Kisa. Before they walked away, he turned around and faced the guards.

"Just try and stop us, and I'll kill you," Haru threatened.

The guards backed away allowing them to leave the palace peacefully. Their eyes showed how frightened they were of Haru at the moment. Haru flashed them a cruel smirk and walked out of the palace at a brisk pace to the gates with Tohru and Kisa scurrying behind him. Guards stood there as well, but Haru took care of them. Brutally, he shoved them aside and opened the gates quickly, and the three of them were safely off the castle grounds. Kisa and Tohru watched with dumbstruck faces as Haru chained the gate doors together and locked them securely from the outside. He tugged on the thick chains and nodded as he stood up.

"What's that for?" Kisa asked pointing to the lock.

"Obviously they'll try to chase us, so this way they can't," Haru answered holding up the key.

He slipped it into his pocket and started down the path ignoring the guards who attempted to break out. The gates rattled noisily from the force, but of course, gates protecting a palace wouldn't break so easily. It'd take them a while and a lot of effort to break through. Tohru and Kisa took one last look at the castle before darting after Haru. If they lost sight of Haru, they could easily get lost in the large forest, though Tohru was more familiar with the woods from her meetings with Yuki, but then again, he had always been there to lead her around.

"Where are we going?" Kisa asked in a small voice.

"You two said anywhere, so we'll go to the place we weren't allowed to go to for so long," Haru responded.

"To town?" Tohru guessed.

Haru didn't answer. They kept on going deeper into the forest. Tohru bit her lip nervously praying that they wouldn't find out about Yuki. He could show up at town and confront her, and then her secret would be revealed to Haru and Kisa. She couldn't blame him if he did that though. He probably was unaware that she hadn't told anyone about him. So if the two of them got in trouble, it'd be her fault. In the distance, they could already hear the noise and rustling of the town. It had always been a lively and cheerful place, but it seemed exceptionally noisy today, or maybe she was just too focused on Yuki the times she went out with him to pay attention to the commotion, but one couldn't blame her for giving her full attention to such a gorgeous guy.

"Onee-chan! You were right!" Kisa smiled as they emerged out of the forest.

Her anxiety grew when she heard Kisa. She forced a smile across her face for Kisa's sake. If she acted nervous, then they would definitely suspect her of something. Tohru fidgeted and began muttering phrases to herself to make herself calm down. They worked a little bit, but she got too absorbed in relaxing herself that she didn't notice the odd looks she was receiving from Haru, Kisa, and nearby townspeople. She looked like a maniac talking to herself. Luckily, she was talking too softly for anyone to understand what she was saying. When she became aware of all the eyes glued on her, Tohru gaped and immediately shut her mouth. She looked back at Haru and Kisa and smiled, feebly pretending that nothing unusual had just happened.

"Why did you bring us here?" Tohru asked Haru.

"I thought it would be fun… I guess you two really are too old for this…"

"Oh no! That's not what I meant!"

"Good because we're gonna hang out here," Haru interrupted Tohru.

Luckily not many people noticed who they were. Without their usual crowns, jewelry, glamorous clothing, and body guards, they blended in with the townspeople perfectly. Uneasily, Tohru looked around the crowds. So far, there were no signs of Yuki. She let out a sigh of relief. There wasn't any chance of Haru and Kisa finding out about Yuki if he wasn't here. Tohru picked up her pace to catch up with the two of them. How did she wind up behind them when she was just ahead of them?

Out of her eyeshot though, Yuki stood there arguing with Ayame and Kyo. They had begun to gather the attention of surrounding townspeople. Kyo's eyes held burning flames in them as he raised his fist into the air, clenching his fingers together tightly. Yuki stood two feet away from him with his arms folded across his chest. Unlike Kyo, Yuki was much better at keeping his cool. Any observer couldn't even tell that on the inside he was just as furious as Kyo was. Ayame stood between them, fanning his hands out between the two making a lame attempt to stop the fight that would soon break out in a matter of seconds. What caused the conflict? One could blame Ayame for forcing the two of them to go to town with him, but in reality, there wasn't really a reason. Yuki and Kyo fought every time they say each other. The reasoning behind the hatred was long forgotten.

"What was that you girly man?!" demanded Kyo angrily.

"I said you are stupid," Yuki repeated slowly.

"You want to fight now?" yelled Kyo jumping to his fighting stance.

"Well aren't you fond of embarrassing yourself," Yuki retorted.

A crowd started to form around them. Practically every person out at the moment had abandoned what they were previously doing to watch, everyone except for Tohru, Haru, and Kisa. Shops were left unattended, a few car doors still carelessly wide open, several grocery bags strewn across the ground, phones were ringing in stores, but no one answered, and in the distance, Tohru could even hear the cries of a baby who had been left alone in a house. There were many reasons for the great interest in this fight. Men wanted to see an actual fight break out, women were fawning over the striking looks of the three of them, and a few realized they were in the presence of royalty. Yuki and Kyo remained ignorant to the stares and continued to argue.

"**You're **the one who ran away from our last fight," shouted Kyo.

"Now, now… For the sake of this dearest city, please refrain from taking your anger out at this moment!" Ayame told them as he placed one hand on each of their shoulders.

"Who are you to lecture us?"

Even though Ayame was trying to make Yuki and Kyo end the quarrel, all he seemed to be doing was making the two of them angrier. There was one thing Yuki and Kyo could agree on, and that was how annoying Ayame is. Too bad Ayame was unaware of that small fact. The vein on Kyo's forehead could be seen bulging out of fury. By now, even Yuki's hands were gripped in tight fists. At this point, neither Yuki nor Kyo had much self-control left. Both of them were muttering different ways to murder the older male.

"What's going on over there?" Kisa asked pointing to where all the townspeople were gathered.

"It looks like a fight…" Haru responded observing the scene and listening to the chants bellowed out for a fight.

"A fight?"

"Yeah, let's check it out… This could be entertaining," Haru replied as he walked over there.

Tohru, Kisa, and Haru tried to squeeze through the crowd with no success. No one budged. Even the girls seemed unusually interested in cheering on this fight; they were secretly hoping that either Kyo or Yuki would be seriously injured so they could tend to them. Villagers were now stomping their feet and yelling with excitement. Their rooting consisted mostly of wordless shouts and hoots since most of them had no idea what Yuki and Kyo's names were. Tohru, Haru, and Kisa gave up on being able to see the fight after Tohru was shoved out of the way for the second time.

"I am the truly gifted soul who has been brought here to share my knowledge with the lesser beings such as yourselves," Ayame said flattering himself.

"No… You're the biggest idiot here!" snapped Yuki and Kyo in unison as they both punched the older man in the jaw.

Ayame was sent soaring towards Haru, Tohru, and Kisa. The people around them quickly moved aside before any of them got injured. Haru noticed this and pulled his two sisters to safety amongst the crowds. The long haired man landed with a loud smack, a poof of dust rising around him. At least, Tohru could see now. She poked her head out from behind Haru and glanced at what got the crowd so riled up. Her eyes widened with shock. There stood _her _Yuki raking his fingers through his silver locks with a frustrated expression on his face. Tohru was at a loss for words. Her worry about him actually showing up here had just been made into a reality. He was standing less than five feet away from her. He was so close that she could hear him curse. Never before had she heard him use such fowl language. It scared her a bit. She didn't know what to do or even say.

Yuki and Kyo shook their heads muttering, "Idiot…"

Yuki felt like someone was watching him intently. He turned around and tilted his head to the side with confusion. This simple gesture made a few ladies swoon and knock over about a third of the crowd. Yuki rolled his eyes but found himself smiling faintly. He wasn't that mad anymore now that Ayame was gone. His eyes quickly finished scanning the crowd that was left standing. He met the surprised gaze of Tohru. Yuki just stared back at her, giving no sign that he knew her since he noticed Haru and Kisa beside her. He looked away from her after a second or two switching his eye contact from Tohru's brown orbs to Kyo's orange ones.

"Let's go…" Yuki mumbled to Kyo.

"We're not through with our fight yet!" roared Kyo.

Yuki shook his head ignoring Kyo. He turned around shoving his way out of the town square. He muttered something about getting a headache to no one in particular as he rubbed his temples. By the second, he was getting farther and farther away from Tohru's outstretched hand. He had chosen to go in the direction completely opposite to where she stood so they wouldn't meet. It was tacit agreement between them that their relationship was to be kept secret, but it seemed that only he understood it. Tohru hadn't looked away from him for a second. A part of her wanted him to stay, talk to her, hold her, and kiss her, but the side of her that was thinking rationally was grateful that he hadn't approached her.

"Hey! What about him?" Kyo called gesturing towards the unconscious Ayame.

"Just leave him alone; he's not a baby anymore. He can find his way home on his own," Yuki answered without even bothering to look back.

There was no doubt that he was _her _Yuki. This was a side of him she hadn't seen before. This attitude wasn't like Yuki at all. If it wasn't for that silver hair of his, she would have denied that it was him. She had seriously doubted it was him, but he looked at her the same way _her_ Yuki did. He looked at her with complete adoration in his eyes. Everything about him seemed the same which made it hard to think it wasn't him, but his voice seemed so cold and sharp, unlike the sweet tone he uses when he speaks with her. Tohru wanted to run and catch up with him, but she knew that Haru and Kisa would find out about their relationship if she did that. All she could do was watch him disappear into the crowd. She blinked a couple of times and shook her head when she finally noticed the little hand waving in front of her face.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay Onee-chan?" Kisa asked as she stopped flapping her hand around.

"Yes…"

"What were you looking at?" Kisa added as she looked in the direction Tohru was facing.

"Nothing," Tohru replied with a smile.

All Kisa saw was Kyo leaving the scene and the crowd dispatching. Haru, on the other hand, had seen everything. Within the minute or two that Haru had been watching Yuki, he could see that Yuki clearly didn't remember anything from the past like Tohru. He could tell because Yuki didn't dare go over to Tohru since he and Kisa were considered _strangers_ and a potential threat to Yuki and Tohru's relationship in Yuki's mind. Still, it had been difficult for him to believe Yuki didn't remember anything since Yuki still looked at Tohru with the same love filled eyes as before. Haru could have sworn that Yuki remembered everything just from those eyes, but he knew better than that.

Ayame's body stirred. Slowly he awakened from his pained unconscious state. He looked around slightly confused by his surroundings. His eyes drooped slightly; his vision was blurry, and he was seeing two or three of everything around him. He had never been hit so harshly and by two people to double the impact. Ayame dizzily sat up and massaged his throbbing forehead. His eyes revealed his bewilderment. He looked around the crowds for his dearly beloved brother, but he didn't see Yuki at all. Seeing Ayame conscious again, Haru decided he wanted to speak with Ayame about Yuki.

"I'm gonna go help him," Haru told Kisa and Tohru rapidly before he ran over to Ayame.

Kisa nodded watching Haru run off. Tohru blinked at her brother not sure what to say. Haru had just gone off to go help the man that Yuki and the orange haired boy punched. She was worried all over again. That man could know about her and Yuki, what was she going to do? She was about to go over to Haru to make sure he didn't find out anything about her and Yuki, but someone grabbed her. Tohru felt someone's hand cover her mouth, firm enough so she couldn't scream loudly but gently so she wasn't hurt at all. His other hand wrapped around her waist swiftly dragging her off somewhere. He was surprisingly quick; nobody noticed him come and go with her. Under all the commotion, Kisa didn't hear Tohru's muffled scream. By the time Kisa noticed her disappearance, Tohru was no longer in sight.

"Onee-chan?" Kisa called looking to her left and right, but Tohru was nowhere to be found.

Tohru felt him stop and release her deep in the forest. The only thing she saw in front of her was trees. She swallowed nervously, afraid to turn around. What if the guy was a crazy assassin who wants her dead? What if this person was a poor peasant who wanted revenge because she was living in a beautiful palace when they were starving in the streets? She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before she had a heart attack. Her heart slowed down, but she was still too scared to turn around. She could feel how close he was to her back by the heat radiating off of his body, and his warm breath that tickled her neck.

"I've kidnapped you, princess…" she heard a familiar voice whisper into her ear.

She spun around wildly with her fists raised in case this person was going to attack her. Her kidnapper caught her wrists before she could inflict any damage upon him and brought her face to his kissing her lightly. A startled Tohru pulled back and came face to face with his handsome kind face. He smiled at her, and she felt at ease. Her worries vanished and all she could think about was _her_ Yuki. Maybe it was the warmth of his hands, maybe it was how perfectly his arm fit around her waist, or maybe it was the way he dragged her, but somehow she knew exactly who her captor was even before he spoke. She knew it was him in the back of her mind yet she was caught completely off guard. She took a step back out of shock before grinning.

"Yuki!" she cried as she threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry if I scared you… And I'm sorry for not greeting you earlier. Can you forgive me?"

He looked down at her warmly with a sweet smile. This was the Yuki she knew, the respectful, caring, loving man whom she loved with her entire heart, body, mind, and soul. She nodded still not believing what had happened back at the town square. There weren't any traces of the anger and frustration his face held earlier. Tohru couldn't help but place both of her hands over his cheeks to make sure he was real. She patted his face all over and couldn't believe that this smiling man was the same one who had punched the long haired man up into the sky a few minutes ago. Tohru cocked her head to the side unable to figure this problem out. She remained oblivious to the fact that Yuki had been watching her the whole time. Yuki laughed at her bewildered face.

Her brows furrowed as she asked, "What's so funny?"

"Your face… It looks like you've seen a ghost or something," Yuki choked out between laughs.

She stared at him still a bit confused. He wasn't making any sense. Subconsciously, she placed her own hands over her face worried about her appearance now that he brought up her face. Was there something on her face? He didn't say anything which only made her fret even more. Her hands slid over her face, but she felt nothing unusual. Maybe he realized she really wasn't that pretty or something like that. Tohru frowned and her mouth opened slightly. Yuki smiled and stopped laughing only to pull her hands away from her face. Still beaming, he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I bet you weren't expecting that…" Yuki whispered with a grin.

"No… I didn't expect to see you punching someone," she replied sounding a bit disappointed in him for hurting someone.

"Well, it's my brother's fault for being such a moron," Yuki groaned thinking about Ayame.

He released her and took a step away from her. Yuki kicked a nearby pebble imagining it to be Ayame. Ayame never really thought about the wants and needs of anyone other than himself, but Yuki was a bit grateful that he had made him come to town. If Ayame hadn't, then Yuki wouldn't have gotten to see Tohru today. Tohru followed after him eager to learn more about his family. He never really spoke about his family like she did when she rambled about Haru and Kisa.

"Oh! So that was your brother!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Yep, that was my brother, the idiot."

"I'm so glad to learn something new about you! It's nice to know that you can actually get angry!" Tohru smiled as she clasped her hands together.

"Me? Of course I get mad, but I don't think you can. I'd like to see you yell and hit someone at least once in my life," Yuki chuckled, "You don't look like you'd be able to swat a fly away who was bothering you."

"O-of course I could!" Tohru exclaimed lifting her fist into the air to show him her determination.

He laughed not believing her one bit. Tohru wasn't the violent yelling type, and he didn't think she ever would be. She was too sweet, caring, and even angelic to be able to do those things. To him, a fly was an annoying pest that should be gotten rid of, so was Kyo for that matter, but to Tohru, a fly was another living thing that should be respected. At least that's how he thought she was. Ironically, a fly flew by and hovered by Tohru's face, and she was unable to even lift her hand to chase the insect away. Even when it landed on her nose, she couldn't bring herself to shake her head to make the small creature buzz off. Having his point proven already, Yuki raised his hand to her face, and the fly flew away. Tohru looked down embarrassedly. She had tried, but she didn't want to scare the fly or hurt it.

"You're so cute," Yuki murmured caressing her cheek.

---

"Hey," Haru greeted the long haired man.

Haru knelt down beside Ayame and helped him back to his feet with a quick jerk. Ayame stared at Haru for a minute before his vision cleared enough for him to recognize who was standing in front of him. Instantly, Ayame threw his arms around Haru out of pure excitement. The last time Ayame had seen Haru was a couple of weeks after Yuki and Tohru were in the accident. They had only spoken about formal matters regarding what to do with the couple then, and it had been months ago. Ayame pulled away with a smile; it was nice to see someone who didn't kick him when he embraced them.

"Haa-san! How have you been?" Ayame responded with a large grin.

"I'm alright, it's been a while."

"Why yes, it has," Ayame agreed.

Ayame dusted the dirt and other unidentified specks off of his fancy clothing and began to re-braid his long silver strands. He stared at Haru as he finished his braiding by tying a bow at the end of his long hair. Haru cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets. There was really only one thing they spoke about anymore, and that was the relationship between Yuki and Tohru. Haru was especially curious to know if Ayame could confirm his suspicions about Yuki and Tohru's current relationship that was supposedly nonexistent.

"Did you know about… them?" Haru asked calmly.

"Yes… He knows about…" Ayame started vaguely.

"Does he remember?" Haru questioned starting to get excited.

"No, we told him… He's confused now…" Ayame answered.

Haru's face dropped slight disappointed to hear that. At least he hadn't been wrong in assuming Yuki and Tohru were back together. If Ayame had said Yuki wasn't seeing Tohru, Haru would have had a heart attack out of worry. Still, the relationship showed Haru how trusting and naïve Tohru was. She was basically visiting a _stranger_ every time she went to see Yuki. It hurt him to know that she trusted Yuki, someone she had never met before in her mind, and she didn't trust him and Kisa enough to tell them about Yuki. Sure, he was her lover, but they were her siblings.

"She doesn't even know about it," Haru added.

A faint smile spread across Ayame's face. Just because Tohru was unaware of the past didn't mean there was absolutely no chance for Yuki and Tohru to remember. There was still hope. Actually, it was more likely for Yuki and Tohru to remember everything than for the palaces of Kaze and Daichi to reconcile. If both happened, they would be the happiest brothers around, and Yuki and Tohru would be able to see each other without sneaking out.

"At least they're with each other now…"

"You think so?"

Ayame nodded pointing to Kisa who was running towards Haru. Tohru wasn't with the little girl. She stopped breathlessly in front of them. Kisa couldn't locate Tohru anywhere. The townspeople had all returned to their previous places making it harder to continue her search for Tohru. Nonetheless, she had looked across town for Tohru stopping only when she reached the edge of the forest. Tohru was nowhere in sight so she came for Haru's help. He was taller than her and could actually see over the heads of people.

"Onee-chan is gone!" she squeaked.

Haru nodded calmly and placed his arm around her shoulder. Kisa peered up at him, her confusion evident in her eyes. She didn't understand how he could be so placid when Tohru was missing. Tohru could have been kidnapped for all they knew, but knowing Tohru, she probably would have gone along willingly. She stared at him for a minute before she noticed Ayame standing there beside them. She smiled and bowed respectfully to Ayame.

"Ayame Oji-san!"

---

Yuki sat down against a thick tree beside Tohru. He gripped her hand firmly but gently in his own. She rested her head on his shoulder comfortably. Something about him made her feel at ease even though she knew she shouldn't be with him or at least she should be alert. Many people were looking for her after all. Guards wanted to bring her back home, and Haru and Kisa were probably wondering where she was as well. Either of the two could catch her with Yuki and report the relationship to the king and queen, but she couldn't worry about that when she was so close to Yuki. He made her feel reassured and safe. She just wanted to stay here with him and talk to him.

"What were you doing here today?" Tohru asked looking at him forever.

"I was forced to come here with my brother and cousin Kyo. Were you out with your family?" Yuki replied.

"Yes…" Tohru answered.

Yuki looked over at her apologetically, "I'm sorry for taking you away from them. I wanted to see you. I was acting selfish. I'm sorry about that. You can go back to them if you want…"

Tohru's eyes widened and she waved her hands frantically in front of her. She didn't want him to think she preferred to spend time with her family over him. He was as important, if not more important, to her as her family was. She wanted him to know that she cherished their time together, even though she could never bring herself to admit that to him. He glanced at her and gave her a quizzical look not understanding the meaning of her arm gesture. She lowered her arms and simpered timidly.

"No, it's no problem! I wanted to see you too!" Tohru reassured him.

Yuki smiled at her and took one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips. He gingerly planted a kiss on top of her hand. She felt her cheeks burn up as she shyly withdrew her hand. He grinned at her reaction as he grabbed her thin wrists and pulled her closer to him until she was practically on top of him. She was kneeling on either side of his upper legs. Tohru blushed at him not used to such a position. She started to pull away, but he was stronger than her, and he didn't want her to withdraw. Yuki brought her nearer to him and gently kissed her soft pink lips. Tohru relaxed after a second and kissed him back slowly.

He released her wrists and slipped one arm around her frail waist. Yuki tangled his other hand in her long dark locks. She leaned towards him placing her arms around his neck. Her lips parted letting the kiss get more passionate. They broke apart, both of their faces burning red. He let go of her waist and pulled up his hand, pushing her hair out of her face. She sat upright blushing furiously. Tohru brought her hands to her head and fixed her disheveled hair.

"Should we go back before anyone misses us?"

Tohru began to nod but quickly replaced it with a shake of her head in refusal. Yuki raised his eye brows at her questioningly. She lowered her face and avoided his eyes timidly before she resettled herself on top of his legs, wrapped her arms around his waist, and embraced him. Yuki was a bit dumbstruck, but he didn't complain. He'd welcome her hugs any day. He locked his arms around her back and nestled his head on top of hers, messing up the hair she had just redone, but she didn't mind; she was practically asking for it when she latched herself to him in such a position.

"Just a few minutes longer…" Tohru breathed.

Yuki happily obliged with her request. He held her until she pulled away a few minutes later. She peered up at him shyly. He leaned forward cupping her chin in his hand and giving her another quick kiss before he stood up. Extending his hand out to her, he pulled her up to her feet. He kept his fingers wrapped around her hand even after she was standing. Wordlessly, he led her back to town. They had actually been closer to town than she had originally thought. Suddenly, he released her hand, and she didn't feel as safe anymore. He stopped walking which made her nearly bump into his back. She peered at his back questioningly.

Yuki turned around and faced her, "You go first. I'll wait here so no one will notice us together."

"Okay…" she replied nervously.

Yuki smiled taking her hand in his and giving it a comforting squeeze muttering soothingly to her, "Don't worry. I'll be watching you. Nothing bad will happen. Just go straight for a little bit, and you'll arrive at the back of town. You can tell your family you lost them in the crowds."

Tohru nodded thanking him and telling him goodbye before kissing him on the cheek. Yuki watched her leave silently not saying anymore. He wanted to stop her and hold her for another hour or two, and he was hardly able to restrain himself from tackling her. They hadn't even been together for an hour yet, that wasn't enough time for him. It was hard for him to let her go without attacking her with another embrace and kiss, but he knew she didn't come here to see him; she came to be with her family, and he had already taken her away from them for a while. He bit his lip to hold himself back and followed her to make sure no one tried to attack her. She didn't want to leave yet either. Today was supposed to be a day she spent with Haru and Kisa, but she couldn't help but want to spend it with Yuki.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the sunlight. There were no more trees to provide shade and protection. Tohru glanced around anxiously. The back of town wasn't a place she was familiar with. She glanced back at the forest and saw Yuki flash her a smile. Feeling a bit better, Tohru took another step forward and past an old cranky looking old man who was sitting on a porch with a pipe in his hand.

"What are you doing out here?" the old man asked her.

"I got lost…" Tohru whispered.

Yuki took a step forward still remaining behind the nearest tree. He held his breath hoping the man wouldn't ask Tohru any more questions or bother her. She was a terrible liar; the old man would see through her fibs sooner or later if he didn't already doubt her words. Yuki didn't really like that old man from his appearance. First off, elderly man didn't look friendly, and Yuki could catch a hint of desire gleaming in his half open eyes. Being the possessive lover he was, Yuki didn't want that man, or any other man, looking at Tohru like that. Tohru, on the other hand, was oblivious to the man's lust. Regardless, she was uneasy around him because he looked rather scary.

"Why would a young lady like you be out all alone?"

"I wasn't alone… I just got separated in the crowds…" Tohru answered as she stared down at her feet.

She wanted Yuki to come out and save her so she wouldn't have to talk to this man anymore. He was starting to look at her kind of funnily. Tohru took a step away from him, but the old man stood up and walked over to her dropping his pipe in the process. He continued over to her until he was less than a foot away. He stuck his face towards her and examined her face with a satisfied smile. Tohru backed away from him, but tripped over a root and fell on her bottom. The man made no move to help her to her feet. Instead, he seemed to be eyeing the edge of her underwear that was peeking out from her raised skirt. Tohru noticed where his eyes were glued and immediately fixed her skirt and stood up. His face darkened when she did that, but he quickly recovered.

"Well then, why don't you spend some time with me?" he asked with a smirk.

Yuki clenched his first tightly wanting to beat the man up. It angered him enough when the man eyed Tohru with those hungry eyes, it made him furious when he stared at Tohru's underwear, but now Yuki was ready to kill the guy for asking her that. He took a step forward, but his brain disagreed with his actions and yanked his leg back. If he went out to take her away from the pervert, he'd have to knock the man out or he might recognize his unique silver hair. He hoped Tohru wasn't dense enough to go along with him. Yuki could see the terror in Tohru's eyes. He wanted to save her, but he knew he shouldn't risk it, but Tohru was worth the chance. Yuki stood there arguing with himself unable to make a decision. Luckily for him, Haru showed up before Tohru could even respond.

"Are you trying to hit on my little sister old man?" Haru demanded, fury showing in his eyes.

"No I wasn't!" the man squealed immediately recognizing Haru as the prince of Daichi.

"Good because I wouldn't want to hurt you or anything…"

"Haru-nii!" Tohru exclaimed.

She ran over to her older brother, subconsciously holding down the back of her short skirt so the lecher couldn't catch another peak of her underwear. Haru slung his arm around her shoulders and shot the old man a glare. He stared at Tohru for a minute to see if the pervert had hurt her, but she simply smiled back at him which showed that she was alright. Haru patted her shoulder before looking around the area for where Yuki was hiding. He knew that Yuki wouldn't abandon Tohru like that, but he couldn't find any traces of the silver haired teenager. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug and looked down at Tohru again.

"Where were you?" Haru asked her in a stern voice though he was basically laughing inside. He knew exactly where she had been; he just wanted to hear her excuse.

"I got separated from Kisa in the crowds… Where is she?" Tohru repeated her story.

Haru nodded, pretending to believe her excuse, "Kisa is waiting at town square. Let's get back before she starts looking for us."

Tohru smiled and looked back at the forest to let Yuki know she was alright now. She knew he was probably extremely worried about her. Her eyes caught a glimpse of his smile before she saw a flash of silver rush past through the trees. Tohru beamed even though she knew he wasn't looking at her anymore. He was out of her sight before she could get a hint of where he was going. She continued to follow Haru closely concluding that Yuki must have been in a hurry. Her brows knitted together with worry; she hoped she didn't waste too much of his time. They arrived back in town before she could ponder over this too much.

"Onee-chan! Where were you?! You disappeared!" Kisa cried when she saw Haru come back with Tohru behind him.

:Kisa! I'm sorry for worrying you both! I got lost in the crowds…"

Tohru hugged Kisa dearly. Kisa held Tohru tightly like she was clinging on for life. They had been separated for less than an hour and yet here they were latched together. Even though Haru had told Kisa that Tohru was probably with Yuki, Kisa was still concerned about Tohru. Kisa wept worriedly grasping Tohru's dress in her hands. Tohru stroked her back easing her tears whispering soothing words to her in a comforting voice. Slowly Kisa relaxed and her tears stopped. Tohru helped Kisa wipe the tears off of her face with a smile. Kisa rubbed her eyes and returned the smile.

"So much for our night out…" Haru muttered.

"What do you mean? What are you looking at?" Tohru asked.

Tohru looked at him curiously with a teary eyed Kisa. She didn't understand what he meant by that. Did he mean she ruined their day together because she left to be with Yuki? Haru didn't answer; instead he continued to gaze down the road. She opened her mouth to apologize, but before she could, she got the answer to her questions with a simple gesture. Haru lifted his head slightly pointing down the road. Tohru and Kisa looked down the road. They gasped slightly when they saw what he was referring to. At first they didn't see anything unusual, but it was hard to miss. A large cluster of guards was storming their way at an incredible pace.

"Must be Oubasan and Hakufu's orders…" Haru pointed out noting the swords the guards held.

Kisa clung to Tohru, her grip rapidly increasing out of fear. Weapons scared her; they were sharp and pointy things that could cut her. Kisa buried her frightened face into Tohru's arms. Tohru bit her lip nervously as she patted Kisa's back. She had to stay strong for Kisa. If she broke down and cried because she was scared, what would Kisa do? Tohru shut her eyes and prayed that none of them would get hurt. She also prayed that Yuki wouldn't see her in this pathetic state. She couldn't believe herself, thinking about Yuki's impression of her when Kisa was nearly crying and bladed edges were pointed at her.

"Don't worry… They won't hurt us…" Tohru comforted the little girl even though she was shaking inside.

"Please forgive us your highnesses! It's the king's order to bring you all back immediately," the first guard told them as they arrived.

All of them held their sharp swords at their necks. Haru calmly raised his arms in surrender, "We'll go back willingly. Just lower your weapons before you hurt anyone."

A crowd as large as the one that had been gathered from Yuki and Kyo's fight had started to form around Tohru, Haru, and Kisa and began to whisper about them. A group of three surrounded by guards holding swords would gather attention without a doubt. What really startled them was the realization of who those three people were. It took a few close observers to notice that they weren't just any ordinary people. Haru's original white hair and Kisa's light orange hair helped identify them too. Their mutterings were loud enough for Tohru, Haru, and Kisa to hear.

"Did they catch some run-away criminals?"  
"Maybe… But wait! Isn't that the royal family of Daichi?"  
"Why are they here?"

"Have they been around us all day?"

The rumors and gossip streamed around the villagers. People who were just passing by even stopped to look. Everyone gathered around like they did when Yuki and Kyo were fighting, everyone but Yuki, who was anxious to get back home, was around the guards. Of course, Yuki would have stopped if he knew Tohru was one of the reasons they were all gathered there, but he didn't see her. He just naturally assumed they were all there to watch another fight or something like that. Ayame spotted the brunette and her siblings though and felt obligated to notify Yuki who was continuing down the road away from the crowd.

"Hey! Yuki! Wait!"

"What? You should be glad I came back and found you, you don't even know you own way home, do you? I can't believe you're still alive," the silver haired teen walked on ignoring the requests of his brother.

"But is that not Tohru-kun?" Ayame asked his hand gesturing toward the brunette and two others surrounded by guards.

Yuki glanced over his shoulder half believing his brother. He stopped dead in his tracks; that was the woman he was with just several minutes ago. His eyes blinked a couple of times almost expecting her to vanish, but she didn't. She stood there, her face covered with fear. He reacted instantly, dodging everyone in his path as he ran over to where she was. Carefully, yet quickly, he shoved his way past the thick crowd until he was standing in the front. Ayame struggled to get through like Yuki had done, but he only managed to reach the middle of the crowd.

Finally the guards lowered their swords.

"I guess I won't need this anymore…" Haru half laughed as he chucked the key to the ground.

He shrugged as he leisurely started for the castle. Tohru looked back into the crowd for the first time noticing Yuki there. She stared into his concerned, anger filled eyes. Trying to let him know she was fine and there was no need for him to get mad, she smiled at him. His eyes softened a bit, and he gave her a weak smile in return. He really felt worthless at the moment. He didn't save her from the guy who wanted to rape her, and he could take her away from the guards who were scaring her. Yuki would give anything he had to snatch her back and hurt all of those guards, who were causing her so much fear, but he was outnumbered by weapon carrying guards and people were watching which meant his relationship with Tohru would be revealed.

"Move along princess," A guard barked to her gently giving her a nudge.

Tohru nodded and continued down the path but not before looking back over her shoulder at Yuki. She mouthed the words 'thank you' to him and then hurried back home before another guard pushed her. Yuki stood there in the crowd watching her, Kisa, and Haru walk away being easily urged along by the guards. He was unable to believe that she had just thanked him. He hadn't done anything beneficial for her. There was no reason to thank him and yet she did. All he had done was let her be in danger, and she thanked him for it. He partially doubted that he had deciphered her message correctly, but she was the kind of girl who would thank him for no reason. She really was something else.

"What do you think they did?"

"Run away?"

"From what? They have EVERYTHING anyone of us would die for!"

"Yeah, I wish I were them! I mean I would be a better princess!"

"Definitely! You're a lot prettier than Tohru. I bet you would have every prince lined up for you!"

They said her name with disgust as they laughed some more. Yuki glanced over at the four girls standing together. He couldn't believe they were saying that about _his_ Tohru, his beautiful, sweet, perfect Tohru. Who did they think they were? Tohru deserved better treatment than that. Not because she was royalty but because of her good natured personality. They had no reason to say those things. Tohru most likely never did anything to them, and here they were, making fun of her. This angered Yuki more than anything before. Before he fully understood what he was doing he stormed over to the corner they were standing in. His mouth opened and he was yelling at them disregarding his brain's plea for him to stop shouting.

"Shut up! What do you know?! Do you have any idea what it's like? Have you ever been royalty? Have you ever experienced the damn pain and hurt? You have no fucking choices! So shut up already. You don't know anything at all!" Yuki snapped angrily at them.

"You think _you_ know what it's like better than us?" questioned one of the girls sticking her nose up at him.

"Yeah, I know a lot better than you, but if you do become a princess, count one less prince lined up for you," Yuki told them calmly.

He gave them an angry death glare before he turned around and left. Yuki stormed down the road before he hurt those girls. He had never hit a girl before, and he didn't want to. Ayame stared at Yuki wide eyed. He had only heard the end of what Yuki was saying to those girls, but he could guess what happened by how angry Yuki looked. Tohru was the only thing Yuki would get **that** furious over. Ayame took one look at the girls and shook his head disapprovingly.

"Yuki dearest! Wait for your brother to be beside you before you run off in the streets!" sang Ayame as he ran after the teenager.

_"Yuki…"_

"We were talking like that to the prince…"

The girls fell over from shock and utter disappointment. It was their once in a life time chance to talk to Yuki. They had been blessed by his presence, and all they had done was yell at him. That should have been the least of their worries. Considering how mad Yuki was, it'd be no surprise if they wound up locked in the dungeons for the rest of their lives. The girls broke down and laughed at their pitiful selves wondering why they hadn't recognized him. Not only was he absolutely stunning but he also had silver hair. Some fan club they were.

"Yuki, you shouldn't blow up like that in the middle of town," Ayame told Yuki as he tried his best to keep up with his swift pace.

"And why not? Those girls were acting so arrogant and superior. They were looking down on Tohru. What did you expect me to do, stand around and listen?" Yuki replied in a harsh tone.

Yuki continued down the path very quickly, a bit slower than a jog. He wanted to get out of town as soon as he could. He wanted to lock himself in his room and call Tohru to make sure she was alright. He wanted to hear her sweet tone. He wanted her to know that she wasn't anything like those girls' description of her even if she hadn't heard them. He wanted to spoil her with the compliments she deserved. He needed to get to the palace faster. Yuki wished they had driven here now, but Ayame had to insist on walking. Ayame was going as fast as he could to keep up, but he still trailed several feet behind.

"But if you keep letting them find out that you're the prince, then they'll become more familiar with your appearance and seeing Tohru-kun will get more difficult especially if she isn't aware of your status," reasoned Ayame.

Yuki froze. He knew this was true, but something just ticked him off when people talked about her like that. Whatever happened to his usual calm and collected personality? Something about Tohru had changed him drastically. Every time he saw her he could feel something inside of him twist and turn into something new. Whether this was for the better or the worse, he wasn't sure yet. She made him feel inferior, like he needed to improve himself just to be able to see her. She was the kind of girl that was like a goddess, something he never felt he could compare to, yet he'd never let her get away. He could feel his feelings slowly turn into some sort of obsession, but he didn't care. He loved her. He had only known her for a few months if you didn't count their past, and he loved her already. Maybe it had been their past that drew him to her, but it was pure love that kept him drawn.

---

Haru, Tohru, and Kisa stood in front of their aunt and uncle with their heads hanging low. The queen's harsh voice continued to strike down crushing their walls down into broken shards and cutting into the depths of their hearts until they were numb with pain. She made a hobby of it, lecturing them until she ripped all the joy they had left out over the littlest things. After a while, the names, the teasing, and her anger just dug under their skin. It just stung more each time. She had yelled at them numerous times, but the word choice she had was something hard to get used to, especially for Tohru and Kisa who were on the verge of tears.

"Morons… Idiots… Stupidity… Shame… Disgrace!"

She was talking so quickly that they could only catch bits and pieces of her harsh words, but even that was enough to strike them down. Kisa felt down enough as it was. Her lip looked like it was ready to burst from all the pressure from her teeth digging into it. It was the only thing she could do to prevent the tears from spilling out. Tohru wanted to comfort the small girl so badly, but she held back to save them from even more scolding. Haru rolled his eyes. At this point, he had more than enough of this, and he was about to snap.

"Don't you think it's about time you shut up?" Haru barked his eyes flashing with fury.

"WHAT did YOU say?" Oubasan snapped.

"What we did wasn't that bad. You lock us up in the palace; can you blame us for wanting to have a little freedom?" Haru asked.

"Who are YOU to question ME?"

"In case you've forgotten, in less than two years I'll be king. If you don't change anything by then, then I will. It's up to you," Haru replied.

"Get out! Get out of my sight NOW!" Oubasan ordered.

"Gladly," Haru smirked before he left.

Tohru and Kisa looked at each other for an answer, but neither of them knew what to do. Kisa glanced at the door quickly then back at Tohru who nodded. They both bowed at their aunt who grunted and rolled her eyes. The king waved his hand slightly dismissing the two of them. Both Tohru and Kisa practically ran out of the room. They still weren't completely sure what had happened back there, but they knew on thing, they had to find Haru before he tore down the palace.


	21. What He Wants Most

Tohru and Kisa had spent the whole night searching the entire castle for Haru. They had checked each stable and every single bathroom on the palace grounds, but he was nowhere to be found. The two of them climbed the long spiral stairs up to the third floor where their bedrooms were located. They paused at the entrance to Haru's room; both of the doors were left slightly open. It didn't look like anyone was inside. Tohru quietly pushed the doors wide open, and they peered in. The room looked exactly like it did before they went out. After checking his room one last time for any signs that he was in there and finding none, they decided to get some rest since it was midnight already, and knowing Haru's navigational abilities, he could be anywhere by now.

"Ah… Good night Kisa. I'm sure he'll turn up in the morning," Tohru smiled trying not to sound as worried as she was.

"I hope so… Good night…" Kisa murmured before retreating to her bedroom.

Tohru did the same and dropped down onto her bed after changing into her nightgown. She worriedly thought about Haru as she lied there under her pink covers. He hadn't showed up for dinner which meant he was probably starving somewhere in the cold without anything to warm him up. Tohru sighed; she was a bit disappointed in their progress in their search for Haru. They hadn't found any clue or hint to where he might be. She would have willingly searched longer, but she was exhausted and so was Kisa. As she lay in bed, she prayed continuously for Haru's safety.

"I hope he's okay…" Tohru whispered before sleep overtook her.

The next morning, neither of them saw Haru. His room was still empty, showing no traces whatsoever that he had returned last night. Devastated, they went down to the dining hall for something to eat. They'd continue their search after they finished their breakfast. Once they had checked around the palace again, they decided to search off the castle grounds. Not even bothering to ask the king and queen for permission (they already knew the answer they would get would be a refusal), they snuck out together and chose to search through town and the forest.

"I'll look in the forest, and you'll go to town," Tohru suggested with a smile. She didn't want Kisa to be wandering through a dark and dangerous forest alone. There could be bears and other dangerous animals that could harm her small sister. Of course, seeing as how Tohru was more of a klutz, those dangers would probably be more of a danger to her than anyone else. She'd be the one who'd slip on the grass that was wet with early morning dew, run into a tree, and then get mauled by the bear, but Tohru wasn't one who worried about her own safety. Kisa was unaware of all the potential dangers of the forest that no one other than Tohru would be in danger from, and she nodded in agreement.

Tohru smiled at Kisa and walked with her down the path to town. The path didn't look like anyone had walked on it recently. Both of them kept looking around as they made their way to the town to see if Haru was lurking anywhere, but he wasn't. As they neared the town, possible hazards of the city began swarming her head. There could be a rapist there, a kidnapper, or even a murderer. Tohru went through the possible risks of both the forest and town. Both were dangerous in various ways, but in town there were people who could help Kisa if she was in trouble. Tohru smiled and nodded to herself; coming to the conclusion that town was a lot safer, Tohru confirmed to herself that she would be the one who looked through the forest.

"Be careful…" Tohru warned when they stopped at the edge of the city.

Kisa nodded in response and gave Tohru a reassuring smile before they went their separate ways. Tohru stood there, watching her little sister disappear in the crowds before she turned around and headed back into the woods.

Kisa squeezed her way through the crowds keeping her eyes open for her older brother. She kept her mouth shut, deciding it would be best if she didn't call out Haru's name. She didn't want to draw attention to herself, and she was positive people would recognize her if she blurted out Haru's name every second or two. A shaggy top of white hair caught her eye. She reached out to grab his coat, but the crowds cut her off. Kisa gaped before she determinedly made her way through the wall of people. Tiredly, she grabbed the edge of his coat and tugged on it. The man turned around, and she found herself looking up at an old man she didn't recognize giving her a strange look.

"I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else!" Kisa choked out in a frantic voice as she released his coat.

"Do you need help looking for someone, little girl?" he smiled at her.

"No thank you! I'm fine on my own!" Kisa answered politely.

She bowed apologetically before scurrying back to continue her search for Haru's whereabouts.

---

Tohru shoved away vines that were whipping across her face and neck as she stumbled deeper into the forest. She grasped a nearby tree branch for support. She was tired already, and she hadn't been searching for half an hour yet. Tohru shivered and sank down to the ground for a small break. Her legs hurt, she was freezing, and she was uncomfortable. This search seemed so hopeless. She wrapped her arms around her frigid knees and rested her forehead atop them. The wind continued to slap her hair around into a crazed mess. She wanted to give up the search. Haru was nowhere in sight. She frowned and did her best to blink away her tears, but she couldn't.

"Tohru?"

She raised her head, coming face to face with Yuki. He was kneeling down in front of her with a concerned look across his face. Yuki cupped her cheek in his hand, using his thumb to wipe away the tears that had strayed down her face. Her eyes widened when she remembered that she had been crying. Frantically, she used both of her hands to rid her face of the rest of the tears. After she had calmed down a bit, Tohru blinked with confusion at him wondering how long he had been there watching her cry. She had cried so many times in front of him that she was starting not to mind if he saw her weep anymore, but the problem with that was now every time she cried she wanted him to be the one who soothed her. Desperate for that sense of comfort he always gave her, she slipped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tightly.

"Yuki-kun…" she simply whispered as she rested her head against his broad chest.

"Why are you crying? Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?" Yuki asked her worriedly.

"I'm okay… I'm not hurt… I just can't find my older brother…" Tohru answered in a sad tone.

Yuki seemed relieved to hear how simple the cause of her tears was. Seeing Tohru huddled in the corner crying like that, he had suspected the worst. He didn't remember feeling that worried in a while. Seeing her troubled by something, it made him feel terrible inside. Yuki detested seeing a frown and tears upon her face. If he had to spend hours searching for her older brother with her to make her smile again, he'd gladly do it. All he had to do was find her brother, and he was ready to help her look. Finding her brother didn't sound too hard to do. He stood up with a smile and offered her his hand. Tohru glanced up at him and cocked her head to the side.

"Come on, I'll help you find him."

She stared at him, dumbstruck with disbelief. His generosity always seemed to surprise her. He didn't even know her brother, and yet, he was willing to help her look for him. She hadn't even asked him for help, and yet here he was offering his time and effort for her sake. Tohru sat there, unable to find any words that would convey her appreciation to him. She didn't know what to say or do so she just remained sitting and continued to stare at him in awe.

"Sitting there isn't going to help. Let's go," he urged her with his sweet smile.

She put her hand in his and immediately felt his fingers wrap around hers as he carefully pulled her back to her feet. He flashed Tohru a kind smile before turning away and scanning the woods for any tracks Haru may have left behind. Tohru knew she was supposed to be looking for Haru, but she could only stare at his hand which was still wound around hers. He had held her hand plenty of times before, but she was still embarrassed when she thought about it. He tugged her along the forest looking from side to side for Haru. Yuki seemed to be the only searching at the moment. When Tohru realized she was basically neglecting Haru, her head snapped up and she attempted to stay focused, but all her eyes wanted to concentrate on was Yuki. As she continued to stare at his back, she finally remembered that she hadn't thanked him for his kindness yet.

"Thank you…" she breathed shyly.

He peered back at her with a smile planted on his face. Yuki gave her hand a gentle squeeze, wordlessly letting her know that he wouldn't stop looking until her brother was found. After she gave him a half-hearted smile in return, he went back to searching while she continued to think about Yuki rather than Haru. What did she do that was amazing enough to bring him, the most perfect guy she had ever met, into her life? She shook her head, unable to come up with an answer, and her thoughts returned to Haru. They walked together silently. Tohru clenched his hand tightly in hers and bit her lip nervously. She was so absorbed in her thoughts about Haru, she didn't notice him stop. She flinched when Yuki placed his hand on her forehead.

"Are you sick? You look pale…" Yuki commented with concern in his eyes as he lowered his hand.

"I'm not ill! Don't worry about me!"

"I can't help it… Did you get home safely yesterday? Were you hurt at all?" Yuki continued.

"I wasn't hurt at all! Really Yuki, I'm fine! I'm just sorry that you had to see me like that…" Tohru murmured silently.

Yuki grinned and kissed the top of her head. She smiled a bit more honestly this time. Even though Haru was missing, she couldn't help but feel a bit happy because of Yuki's love and attention. All of his little loving gestures made her feel appreciated and important. She wasn't sure what she'd do without him. If he hadn't found her, she'd probably still be sitting by the tree with tears streaming down her face. That was just another reason for her to be grateful that she had him. Maybe he didn't need her, but it was obvious she needed him. She glanced up at him beaming appreciatively wondering how she could express her thanks to him. A simple 'thank you' didn't seem like enough.

"Even though you look adorable when you're scared or worried, I like it better when you smile..." Yuki whispered into her ear before vowing, "We'll find him. I promise."

Her cheeks flushed a dark red. Tohru gazed at him for a second, wondering if she had heard him correctly. Nobody ever told her she was adorable or cute besides him. It was a term she was having difficulty believing he was using to describe her with. He gave her a reassuring smile. Momentarily, Tohru forgot that her relationship with Yuki was still a secret from her siblings and accidentally relaxed. She was too focused on finding Haru to worry about what he would say if he saw her holding hands with a _stranger_. She looked in every direction almost as if she expected him to be hiding behind each tree or rock. Yuki laughed at this but made no comment about it.

"He's probably not here in the forest. Let's go check around town," Yuki suggested as he guided her in the direction of town.

As they passed the lake, she couldn't help but turn her head and admire the roses from afar. Something gleaming under the sun's rays caught her eye. The sunlight was reflecting against a metal chain around the neck of a familiar looking teenager with white hair. Her jaw dropped open, and for a minute, all she could do was stare at her brother's body lying on the shore of the lake. He wasn't moving at all. Tohru's eyes doubled in size as she tugged on Yuki's hand to make him stop walking.

"Wait! Yuki-kun! That's Nii-san!!!" Tohru shrieked.

She pointed a shaky hand towards the body that lied on the sand. His legs dangled in the water while his upper body and head lay on the blood soaked ground. A wave washed up and hid his body away from her view as it struggled to claim Haru's body and take it back to the middle of the lake. Tohru screamed and started to run down the steep hill, but she only managed to trip over her own two feet. Yuki caught her by her waist and helped her down as quickly as he could. When they got close enough, they noticed all the bruises and cuts that covered Haru's body. Yuki ran into the water and grabbed Haru by his ankle before he drifted any further away from land. He stooped down and moved his hands to Haru's wrists for a better grip before he dragged him out of the water.

"I-is he alive?" Tohru whispered in a hardly audible voice.

Yuki peered up at her ghostly pale face which was full of fear. He highly doubted that the white haired male was dead, but for her sake, he wrapped his fingers around his wrist to check for a pulse. Tohru held her breath as she waited for a response from Yuki. She was too worked up with concern to notice the subtle rise and fall of Haru's chest. Yuki looked up at her with a smile. He nodded, letting her know Haru was indeed alive. His pulse was strong. The relief Tohru felt at the moment was indescribable. She wanted to hug Haru at the moment just because he wasn't dead, she wanted to jump on Yuki for helping her, but she knew they didn't have time for either of those.

"Come on… Let's get help," Yuki told Tohru as he boosted his limp body onto his back.

Yuki took a step forward, carrying Haru on his back, and repositioned Haru before starting up the hill. Tohru nodded repeatedly and followed him closely. After a minute or two, Haru began to stir and show signs of life. Tohru's eyes lit up when she saw this, and she quickened her pace to catch up with Yuki. She reached forward and touched Haru's shoulder which caused him to lift his head. His eyes opened into tiny slits as he looked around. Confusion was plastered all over his face. The only thing he was sure of was that he was moving somehow even though his feet weren't touching the ground. He turned his head towards Yuki blinking a couple of times before he realized Yuki was a person and not another inanimate part of his surroundings.

"Where am I? …Who are you?" Haru mumbled to Yuki clearly not noticing Tohru.

"A guardian angel," Yuki replied simply.

Haru stared at him for a moment before fainting again. His vision had been too blurry for him to make out who this _guardian angel_ of his really was, but the voice sounded strangely familiar. Glad to see Haru go back to a state of unconsciousness, Yuki relaxed. He wasn't sure what else he could have said if Haru questioned him further. He couldn't say he loved Tohru, and that's why he was helping Haru. Tohru, on the other hand, still didn't seem to remember that Haru didn't know about her and Yuki, and she was disappointed and fretful when he didn't stay awake.

"Nii-san!" Tohru exclaimed worriedly.

"Don't worry… He should be alright," Yuki assured her.

Tohru nodded and continued following Yuki anxiously as they made their way to town. Water dripped down from Haru's soaking pants leaving a trail of cold droplets down Yuki's shirt and across the ground all the way from the lake to where they were standing now, in town. Yuki glanced around the place, clearly looking for something. Tohru followed his gaze but didn't seem to understand what he wanted. She cocked her head to the side with a puzzled expression. Yuki glanced back at her.

"Doctor…" Yuki muttered.

"Eh?"

"We need a doctor, now…" Yuki explained.

Many eyes were now focused on Haru's tattered body and clothes. They didn't even bother to hide their extended fingers that were gestured towards the trio or muffle the arising gossip. Tohru chewed her bottom lip. They were both unsuccessful in locating the doctor's office on their own. She decided to ask someone and was currently scanning the crowds in search for someone who wasn't too absorbed in a task to bother with helping her. She found precisely the person she was looking for a few steps away. He was standing outside a nearby shop, possibly waiting for someone. She glanced back at Yuki to let him know where she was going and what she was doing before she walked over to the person.

"Where's the doctor's office?" Tohru asked the man.

He glanced up at her and stood there, completely speechless, before pointing down the road. Tohru gave him a small thanks, and they rushed down the road, avoiding eye contact with anyone who was staring at them. The last building was tiny and dark with a small sign that read 'doctor'. All the windows were dark, but one. It didn't look like it was open, but Tohru didn't want to take her chances with Haru in this condition and wait outside for the place to open. She hurried up the steps and knocked loudly. Echoes of her knocks were the only response she got. She glanced back at Yuki, her brown eyes full of panic. Yuki set Haru down on the ground and walked up the steps to Tohru.

"Is nobody there?" he asked.

"Nobody is answering…"

Yuki pounded on the door with more force, making the door shake slightly with each knock. He was getting angrier with each passing second. He could clearly see a woman seated behind the counter sorting through some files. A few knocks later, the woman finally set down whatever she was going through and went to the door. She pointed to the sign that read closed. Tears reformed themselves in Tohru's eyes. She covered her mouth and stared at the sign. It'd be another hour until the place opened. Fortunately for them, an older male with white hair stepped in front of the lady and unlocked the door for them.

"Are you the doctor?" Yuki asked the man.

The white haired man nodded.

"Please help Niisan!" Tohru begged pointing to Haru frantically.

Tohru and Yuki stepped aside so the doctor could get a better look at Haru. The man's eyes widened at the sight of the injured teenager. Haru was drenched; his ripped clothes were covered with mud and specks of blood, dirt streaked his face. The doctor looked back and forth between Haru, Yuki, and Tohru. Yuki's pants were soaked in murky water from his knees down, his shirt was stained from Haru's body, and his arms and face were splattered with mud. Tohru's dress was filthy and wet at the hem and her eyes were still red and puffy from crying. Dirt and a couple of leaves were trapped in her disheveled hair as well. In no way did any of them resemble royalty or even people who could afford to see a doctor.

"Bring him in if you can pay…" he told them as he opened the door.

Tohru uneasily looked up at Yuki who simply nodded back at her. If she didn't have money with her, he was positive he had enough on him to cover the cost of treatment. He stepped back to where he had previously set Haru down and picked him up again. Yuki walked back up the steps and inside the building with Tohru. The doctor held the door open for them. He led them through the waiting room, passed the desk where the woman was seated once again, and to a smaller room towards the back with various doctor's equipment on countertops.

"You can set him on the bed," he instructed.

Yuki obeyed and set Haru down over the once white bed sheets on the small bed. Tohru stood by the bed anxiously staring at her older brother. Yuki took her hand in his, trying to get her to realize that Haru wouldn't die. It helped a little but not much. The doctor rummaged through his cabinets and pulled out a clear glass bottle filled with alcohol and some bandages. He walked back over to the bed and set his materials on a small table. As he pulled on a pair of latex gloves, he stared at Yuki's and Tohru's filthy faces.

"There's a bathroom out the door and towards your right if you wish to wash up while I treat this boy," he muttered as he looked over Haru.

"Thank you…" Tohru replied with a bow.

Yuki chuckled when he thought about how dirty they must be. He lifted his thumb to her face, wiping some dirt off of her cheek as he whispered, "Your face is dirty."

Her eyes widened, and her hands flew to her face in attempt to remove the mess. Instead, she ended up smearing the dirt all over herself. Yuki laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her out the door and to where the washroom would be. Once inside, she gasped when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She hardly looked like herself behind this masquerade of dirt. Yuki laughed harder at her reaction. Tohru looked back at him and pouted in a partially joking matter. Struggling to scowl, she placed her hands on her hips and tried to give him an angry expression which only made him laugh more.

"I-I'm so-sorry…" Yuki choked out between laughs.

"You're not so clean either," Tohru pointed out.

She tried to glare at him, but she couldn't help but grin. Tohru's eyes wandered around the small bathroom. The bathrooms at her home were at the very least three times bigger than this one, but this one was a lot more homely. Her bathroom was so bland and boring with the plain white towels and floral embroidery. That same flower pattern was repeated on everything in the bathroom from the wallpaper to the blinds to the glass bottle that held the rose-scented soap. This bathroom was more interesting to her with its black and white tiled floor, pink soap bar, cream colored sink, and bluish-white toilet.

"I've never seen a restroom like this before… It's so small! I don't think I've been to a public bathroom that's for both girls and boys either," Tohru rambled as she stuck her face in the sink to observe the _tiny_ thing.

"Just wash your face," Yuki said as he turned the handle causing water to spew out of the faucet and onto Tohru's head.

Tohru squealed and pulled her head out from under the sink. Her hair was now soaked and clinging over her face. She took one look at the mirror and giggled hysterically trying to muffle her laughs while attempting to swipe the hair out of her eyes. Yuki watched her with a sly grin across his face not even trying to help her out. Once she could see clearly again, Tohru cupped her hands together under the faucet and tossed the water at Yuki, a feeble attempt at revenge. He blinked at her, not expecting any form of retaliation from his sweet little Tohru. Tohru stared at his bewildered face for a second before laughing again.

"You want to play this again?" he teased her, striking her back with more water.

Pretty soon, they were soaked, again but with clean water this time. Their bangs were glued to their faces, being held there by the weight of the water. Tohru couldn't stop laughing. That was one way to clean themselves up, but now, they were soaked from head to toe and surrounded by puddles.

Meanwhile, the water continued to leak out of the faucet, and the bar of soap slid into the sink which was gradually filling with water. Bubbles began to erupt and spread across the surface of the water, overtaking the sink. Tohru was the first to notice this. Her eyes glimmered with excitement as she shoved her hands into the mass of bubbles, holding them in her hands. She turned back towards Yuki and smeared the bubbly glob across his face. Yuki stood there, completely caught off guard. He hadn't expected her to do that, and all he could do now was stare at her delighted face. Soapy suds and dribbles of water slid down his face. Only his two grey eyes were visible behind his mask of bubbles. Tohru covered her mouth to contain the fit of giggles that were about to arise, but she couldn't keep the hysterical outbursts inside.

Tohru collapsed onto her side in a fit of laughter as she stared at him. She had never seen him looking so ridiculous before. Maybe this was what he'd look like when he was elderly and had a long beard. Her body trembled and shook with laughter. She didn't know when she last laughed so hard. She could barely breathe. Yuki shook his head, sending bubbles flying around the room which only made Tohru giggle more. He wiped the lather off his face and dropped down in front of her, holding her arms down, gently pinning her there.

"You're going to wish you never did that," Yuki responded, "Apologize?"

She giggled lying on the ground as she peered up at Yuki who was still holding her down. She shook her head from side to side in a refusal. Yuki raised his eyebrows at her, but she only laughed more. He lowered his face towards hers and took advantage of her open mouth, kissing her chastely. Tohru gasped softly. His mouth over hers muffled the sound. The bitter aftertaste from the soap that once covered his lips filled her mouth. The foul taste lingered in her mouth for a minute before it faded away. It was only then did she stop gazing at him and kiss him back.

"A-hem…" The old man cleared his throat loudly.

Yuki quickly released Tohru. Both of them broke apart immediately, retreating to opposite ends of the bathroom with extremely dark faces. They hadn't even heard the door open or the doctor enter. Tohru peered at Yuki, finding his disarrayed hair a rather humorous sight especially since there were still a couple of bubbles latched on the ends of his bangs, but she was too embarrassed to giggle. Yuki glanced back at her and scrunched up his nose, letting her know there were some suds on the tip of her nose from their kiss. Slowly, Tohru raised her hands to her face and cleared the lather from her face before she timidly turned her attention back to the doctor.

"I don't have a desire to see that…"  
"Sorry…" they both muttered.

"And if you wouldn't mind, clean up this mess for me since you two were the ones who got this bathroom so dirty," he requested, "There's some towels in the closet to your left."

"Yes sir…" they both replied.

Apologetically, Yuki and Tohru bowed slightly in unison. Both of them opened the door to the closet and pulled out several towels. The bathroom door shut as the doctor went back to finish up bandaging Haru. Once she could no longer hear his footsteps, Tohru began to laugh again. She stepped towards Yuki with her towel and wiped the rest of the lather off of his face. He gave her a sheepish smile and returned the gesture, drying off her face. Blushing, Tohru straightened up and looked away. She walked over to the mirror and raised her hand up and down and side to side across the mirror to wipe off the drops of water. Once the mirror was sparkling clean, Tohru moved to the soap suds covering the sink.

As she cleaned the sink and mirror, Yuki was on his hands and knees mopping up the puddles that covered the tiles. He gazed up at Tohru, listening to her hum a soft tune as she cleaned. This was ironic; he never expected to see royalty, like them, cleaning a bathroom in a doctor's office. He chuckled quietly and went back to soaking up the water on the floor. Tohru looked over her shoulder at him wondering why he was laughing. Yuki didn't meet her eyes. She shrugged and finished cleaning the sink. She turned around and stood there, leaning against the porcelain sink and watched Yuki's awkward movements. He froze and faced her.

"You know, this would be easier if a certain someone helped clean the floor instead of just watching," Yuki commented.

Tohru beamed and dropped down beside him. Together, it took them a few more minutes to finish drying off the floor. Tohru stood when they were done and marveled over their accomplishment in getting the bathroom back to its clean state. She smiled and pressed her hands together with joy. Yuki joined her. He wasn't exactly happy like she was, but more so, he was surprised that he was able to clean this place without making a bigger mess. He wasn't known for his talent at tidying places up. She grinned at him before starting for the door. She felt Yuki's arms enclose her waist from behind, stopping her from getting any closer to the exit. He whispered into her ear, "You never did apologize…"

"I'm sorry," she responded with a smile, tilting her head back to face him.

He beamed, bending down as he planted a kiss on her forehead. Yuki turned her around and stole another quick kiss from her lips, pressing her against the bathroom door. Feeling helplessly weak compared to him, Tohru gave no protest and kissed him back. She was still worried about Haru and a bit ashamed in herself for forgetting about him while she was _cleaning herself up_, but what was she to do when he kissed her like this? She wasn't strong enough to push him away, and she didn't even want him to stop.

"I'll forgive you this one time… I'm glad you relaxed… When you worry, I worry…" he admitted.

She felt a blush inch its way onto her cheeks. Yuki pulled away from her with a smile. He brushed a few hairs out of her face and kissed her cheek. Tohru hugged him quickly letting him know how thankful she was to him, before opening the door for the two of them. Hand-in-hand, they walked back to the room where Haru was in. The doctor didn't turn around when he heard them reenter the room. Tohru bounded over to the bed where Haru lied immediately, pulling Yuki along with her.

"How is Niisan?" Tohru asked instantly.

"He should be fine. Nothing more than some bruises and cuts. He should awake soon, and he should be completely healed in a matter of weeks."

"Thank goodness!" Tohru breathed as she kneeled down next to Haru.

Yuki smiled at her joy. She brushed a few bangs away from Haru's face and watched him sleep for a minute. Then a little red flag popped up and waved itself around in her head, telling her that she had forgotten something. Tohru's brows furrowed as she tried to figure out what she had forgotten to do. She had done everything she was supposed to, right? She had found Haru. What else did she have to do? Tohru retraced her steps mentally trying to find something she had left out. She had been looking for Haru through the forest with Yuki when they found him by the lake. What had she done before that? Tohru thought for another minute before an image of her little sister appeared in her head.

"Kisa!" Tohru abruptly gasped as she jumped to her feet.

Yuki looked at her with wide eyes, not understanding her actions or words, "Your sister?"

"I forgot to tell Kisa that I found Niisan! She's st-still looking for him!" Tohru squeaked frantically.

"Tohru, relax."

"I got to fi-find her!!!" Tohru squeaked dashing out of the room before Yuki could say another word.

He stood up and followed her to the door, only catching a glimpse of her running down the road. Yuki could easily catch up with her if he wanted to, but there was something he should do while she was gone. Tohru darted around town barely dodging all of townspeople. It was a miracle that she hadn't run into anyone yet. She jumped up and down, peering over people's heads in search for the little orange haired girl. Why was everyone so tall? Tohru walked around on the tips of her toes, but that didn't help her much.

Yuki sat in one of the wooden chairs, tapping his hands against the armrests out of boredom. He was waiting, waiting for Tohru to return, but first, he was waiting for the doctor to finish whatever it was that he was doing. Yuki was bored, sure it had only been a few minutes since Tohru left, but he had no purpose here if Tohru wasn't here. He glanced over at her brother, then at the doctor. He knew neither of them and had almost forgotten why he was still here. The white haired man walked back over to the cabinets, placing the alcohol and unused bandages away.

"So, why didn't you go with her?"

"Payment."

"And that has to do with…"

"How much will this cost?" Yuki brushed aside his question.

"23,200 yen," he answered.

Yuki reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and some neatly folded bills. Yuki handed him the exact amount of bills. The old doctor took them recounting the money. Yuki watched the doctor with an amused expression. He didn't pay for things often, and when he did, nobody ever made sure he had paid enough. It was an interesting sight even if it made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Yuki mentally begged Tohru to come back until he realized, she'd be coming back with her sister. Kisa didn't know him. It'd be awkward and hard to explain if she saw him here. He'd have to leave before Tohru came back, but for now, he wanted to make sure the doctor was satisfied with the money. Yuki didn't want him to pester Tohru for more cash in case she didn't have any on her.

"Don't trust me?"

"Of course I'd trust a prince," he replied nonchalantly though he made no effort to stop counting.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yuki responded calmly.

For a minute, neither of them spoke. Yuki continued drumming his fingers on the armrest, and the doctor kept counting the money. Yuki did a good job of keeping his appearance cool and calm, but on the inside, he started to panic as soon as he had heard 'prince'. It could be bad news to both Yuki and Tohru if this doctor knew he was the prince and she the princess. There were many things he could do with that information that would get them in trouble. He could blackmail them or something like that. He couldn't help but wonder if this man would reveal the relationship that he had worked so hard to keep a secret from everyone.

"Of course I am familiar with the prince of Kaze and the princess of Daichi, or at least, I can recognize their faces. Actually, I'm surprised that nobody else found out. If you wanted to keep your relationship a secret, then, using your real names and carrying around that much money isn't that smart… Oh, and silver hair isn't exactly common, so it's easy to know it's you…"

Yuki's face dropped a little. Someone knowing their secret was someone who could easily spread it around town and get them both in big trouble. Since this seemed to be the only doctor's office in this town, he probably knew practically every townsperson which would make it even easier for him to tell everyone about his and Tohru's relationship. Yuki clenched his hands into fists as he tried to think of a way to keep the doctor from informing everyone in Daichi and Kaze that Yuki and Tohru were together again. That revelation could even terminate his bond with Tohru as well since she still was unaware of his status as the prince of Kaze.

"How about you keep this a secret? Don't tell anyone about this, and I'll double your payment," Yuki suggested.

"Triple," he bargained.

Yuki pulled out all the money he had on him, extending the money out to the doctor. He didn't have triple the payment with him at the moment, but hopefully, what he had would be enough to keep the doctor silent. He didn't think bribing was a good thing, but what other choice did he have? He had plenty of money, and this doctors' office looked like it was in need of it. The wallpaper was peeling in the corner, the furniture looked worn out, and this place needed a more welcoming staff.

"That's all I have on me," Yuki informed him.

"Fine," he gave in and accepted the cash.

"Oh, and that includes the princess," Yuki said slowly.

The doctor gave him an incredulous look. Yuki stared back at him calmly. It was a simple request, so why was the doctor giving him that look? He wasn't sure how else he could rephrase that. He just wanted the doctor to keep everything he had just told them a secret from Tohru. Was that demand really that baffling? It sounded easy enough to him.

"You mean she doesn't know…?"

Yuki shook his head, his silver bangs hiding the shame in his eyes. Was it really that bad that he hadn't told her that he was a prince? Being a prince didn't really change who he was so he couldn't see why it was such an important factor. Besides, he kept trying to tell her about it, but there was always some sort of problem going on when he was with her lately, and when there wasn't anything wrong, he didn't have it in his heart to bring up something that could turn one of her rare good days into another bad one. Her happiness mattered more to him than anything else. He never wanted to see her smile fade.

"She's going to find out sooner or later…"

Yuki nodded and stared at the ground. He knew that. He thought about her finding out every night before he went to bed. He was sure he thought about every possible way she could find out about his status if he didn't tell her himself. Every night, he saw tears stream down her face because of each scenario. Even though he knew they were just figments of his imagination, it still pained his heart when he thought about it. Those tears he saw were one of the reasons he dreaded telling her about being a prince. She could easily hate him and never want to see him again. What would he do then? He didn't want her to hate him, not now, or ever for that matter.

"Out of every girl here you had to pick her? May I ask you why? Do you even know how forbidden your relationship with her is? If either of your families found out I knew about you two, I'd be severely punished. Maybe even killed," the old man commented without fear in his voice.

"Yeah, well you're old already, so why does it matter?" Yuki joked with a shrug.

"Hey!"

"I was kidding, but yes, I know how forbidden this is. I know exactly how forbidden this is…"

"Even…"

"Yep."

Little to their knowledge, Haru had awakened a few minutes ago. He lied there silently, listening to their conversation. He kept his eyes shut and feigned sleep. He desperately wanted to join in and give them his opinions. Haru wanted to tell Yuki tons of things. He wanted Yuki to know that he supported their relationship and would help them stay together, but he'd probably end up confusing Yuki since Yuki still didn't remember who Haru was. Haru hardly contained himself, but he managed by fingering the white bandages across his bare chest. Luckily, the other two didn't notice, or if they did, they made no comment.

"Does she remember?"

"She doesn't know a thing. I'm probably some poor peasant that she never met before in her eyes. Sometimes, I wish I am a poor peasant… In truth, I don't even remember exactly. I'm just aware of the fact and nothing more really," Yuki added.

Before the doctor could respond, sharp rapid knocks could be heard coming from the front door to the building. Haru jolted slightly in the bed, but he quickly recomposed himself before anyone noticed his movements. The doctor opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He wanted to let Yuki know how irresponsible seeing Tohru in secret was. It was dangerous and sure to have dire consequences. A happy ending wasn't going to be the probable conclusion to their story. The knocking continued; the rustling of a lot of people could be heard shuffling through the doors and into the waiting room.

"That's my cue to leave…" Yuki said quietly with a small smile.

"Wait!"

"I wouldn't open that door if I were you…" Yuki advised as he stood up, gesturing to the door before them.

The old man didn't try to stop him as Yuki maneuvered over to the said door. He stood there, ignoring the knocks. Yuki paused, listening to the commotion to see if _they _were outside or not before he opened the door. He turned to face Haru with a smirk before leaving. As soon as Haru had awakened, Yuki was aware of it. He had been watching Haru play with his bandages the whole time he was talking to the doctor. Haru didn't seem like much of a threat, so Yuki didn't bother with trying to keep his relationship with Tohru from him. Something deep down in his heart seemed to tell him that Haru wasn't trouble, and for some reason or another, Yuki listened to that little voice he usually ignored.

"Next time you eavesdrop, do a better job of faking sleep," Yuki suggested, "Oh, and please tell Tohru I'm sorry I couldn't stay."

He waved, smiling at the two of them as he calmly stepped out of the room. Yuki was careful to stay out of sight of the main doors and windows as he stuck his head out. That mob full of fan girls of his weren't in sight yet. They were probably having trouble getting past the cranky secretary lady. He was surprised she even let them in. It was still a couple of minutes before this place opened, but then again, a horde of crazed girls was pretty terrifying. Yuki crept towards the red exit sign quickly and strode out into the empty alley. He could see a couple girls pass by on the sidewalk, but they didn't notice him. Yuki smiled as he darted back home.

Haru sat up straight on the bed muttering, "Damn… How did he know?"

The thin blanket dropped to the ground as he jumped out of the bed. He followed Yuki's steps to the door and swung it open. He could hear those girls getting closer to this room. He was guessing they were slowly getting their way with the secretary and forcing her to tell them where their idol, Yuki, was. He shuddered when he saw one of their faces through the glass panel on the door. It was scary how these girls were able to overpower anything that tried to keep them from _their_ prince. If given the chance, he was sure they would destroy the world if that meant they could have Yuki, and that thought scared him more than anything else.

"What? Are you going to chase him?"

"No, knowing him, he's long gone already," Haru replied dully glancing out the door.

The shuffling and voices grew louder. Haru could hear the faint request to see Yuki at once followed with plenty of other woman yelling in agreement. He was too frightened to think about what they would do if they found out Yuki wasn't here anymore, and he didn't want to stay around long enough to find out. The crowd outside seemed to increase in number by the second. Just wonderful, more people to destroy the place. He'd have to remember to send some money over to this place when he got home or they'd never be able to pay for the damages that would soon come to this place.

"Hey, I'm outta here. Thanks for everything. Just tell my sisters that I'm waiting for them at home."

"Why are you leaving so soon?"

"Ha…Ha… There's no way I'm going to face those girls… Good luck with them!" Haru laughed as he slipped out of the small room, slamming the door behind him.

"Girls?"

The wood door to the room flew off its hinges, hitting the floor with a thud. It had collapsed from the force of the girls who had finally made it past the secretary. Outside his door most, if not all, of the townswomen stood, trying to shove their way through the door at once. All of them were wearing their best clothing along with blushes on their faces and dreamy anxious looks in their eyes. The walls around the door looked ready to join the fallen door, but several girls dropped down into the room unintentionally allowing the others to step over them and get inside.  
"We heard Prince Yuki is in here…" they all cooed in unison.

His jaw dropped. With this many girls after Yuki, it was a surprise that no one ever caught him with Tohru.

---

Suddenly, the crowds lessened. Tohru smiled, finding it easier to run around and look for Kisa. The light orange hair came into her view quickly. She gaped, ran over, and grabbed Kisa's shoulder before the little girl turned the corner. Kisa jumped up out of shock and yelped, almost hitting Tohru's chin. By some rare chance, Tohru was able to pull herself back before she received a hit from Kisa's head. Kisa turned around with a terrified look on her face to see who had just touched her. That look vanished when she saw it was Tohru.

"Onee-chan!" Kisa cried.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" Tohru exclaimed.

"It's okay," Kisa reassured her in a small voice.

Tohru stood there for a second before remembering why she was even here. She grabbed Kisa's hand and took off in the direction of the doctor's office without a word. Kisa was dragged along, traveling at a quick speed with Tohru. She had never seen her sister run so fast in her life. She felt like she was going to fall over constantly. She was hardly able to keep her body upright. Tohru's legs were a lot longer than hers so she could take longer strides than Kisa's little legs could. Tohru didn't seem to notice how much trouble Kisa was having and didn't slow down or stop.

"Where are we going?" cried Kisa trying her best not to trip.

"To where Niisan is! I found him!" Tohru replied.

Kisa's eyes widened and she ran faster. Tohru froze stopping abruptly when they reached the small building at the end of the road. Tohru glanced around confused. A bunch of girls she didn't know were around and inside the doctor's office walking around and basically destroying the place in search for _their _prince. They had tossed aside anything that was in their way, not caring where it landed. Kisa ran into her back, unable to stop herself in such short notice. She pulled back rubbing her reddening nose. Kisa stared at Tohru's back, waiting for an explanation she wouldn't receive as her eyes drifted to her surroundings. Kisa peered around Tohru, trying to figure out why she had stopped.

"Onee-chan?"

Tohru didn't answer. She was too absorbed in the sight before her to even hear Kisa's question. For some reason or another, Tohru felt a pang of jealously shoot through her body. She didn't want all of these girls around Yuki, who she thought was still inside. All of these girls, they looked more beautiful than she did, and they were wearing fancier clothes at the moment. They were all extremely gorgeous. Surely, they'd make Yuki think twice about continuing to see her. If only she knew, Yuki only had eyes for her, then she wouldn't have to be fretting over this mob of obsessive girls.

"What's wrong?" Kisa asked.

Tohru shook her head, deciding she couldn't beautify herself or make Yuki like her more by standing here and gawking at the scene. What she should be focused on is taking Kisa to see Haru. That should be her top priority, and yet somehow, Yuki still was the only thing her mind wanted to think about. She bit her lip to keep herself from drifting back to her thoughts about Yuki and grasped Kisa's hand, deciding it was time to go inside.

"Come on," she said gently.

The two of them squeezed their way through the broken door, getting in unnoticed by the other girls who were too absorbed in finding _their_ prince. Everything in the building seemed ruined starting with the knocked down door. Tohru and Kisa stepped passed the waiting room with its flipped over chairs with missing legs. The secretary was running around pulling medical equipment out of various girls' hands before they broke more of the supplies. Kisa moved closer to Tohru as they finally arrived at the room Haru was supposed to be in. The doctor's eyes lit up when he spotted Tohru and Kisa. He ran over to them happily.

"Oji-san!" Kisa exclaimed.

"Eh? You know each other?" Tohru asked in a bewildered voice.

"Ah, she's your sister. We ran into each other earlier," he explained.

"Where's Niisan and umm…" Tohru started to ask.

It was only now did she notice that the person on her mind wasn't even in the room. The bed was empty, Yuki and Haru were nowhere in sight. Subconsciously, she let out the nervous breath she had been holding in. Not having Yuki here saved her from having to explain to Kisa who he was, and since he wasn't here, she didn't have to worry about what he thought of her compared to all the girls who were here. On any other day, she would be saddened to see that he had left without saying goodbye to her, but today, she was glad he did. She was happy to know he didn't see all of these girls here who seemed better fit for him. She was happy as of now, unlike the doctor who was mentally mourning for his office.

"Ah well it seems he knew about this invasion or foresaw it and left early. He told me to tell you that he's at home…"

"Onee-chan, we'd better go home then!"

Kisa tugged at the edge of Tohru's dress. She still didn't know what was going on exactly, but if Tohru had to bring Haru to the doctor, then he had to be in bad shape. Kisa wanted to make sure that Haru was alright. Tohru nodded agreeing with her. She wanted to check up on Haru just as badly as Kisa did, and she also wanted to call Yuki to thank him again and make sure that he got home safely. Both of them started to leave when the old man remembered Yuki's message.

"Tohru-san!"

"Yes?"

Tohru spun around to face him directly. He used his hand to gesture her over with a small wave. She looked back at Kisa with a smile, signaling her to stay put and that she'd be right back. When she was close enough to him, he leaned over to her and whispered in her ear, "Your boyfriend told me to tell you that he's sorry he couldn't stay…"

Tohru felt her cheeks turn fifty shades of red as she nodded furiously. Boyfriend? She was surprised by his word choice. Yuki couldn't be her boyfriend though she had to admit, she wouldn't mind having him as her boyfriend, but that would be too great of an honor and gift. Just seeing him was enough for her. Besides, how could she ask for more when she was supposed to be engaged to Akito? Why did the doctor have to go and say that? Now, she was flustered and fidgety. Kisa watched Tohru wondering what made her blush like that.

"Oh, and don't worry about the bill. It's already been paid for…" he added a little louder.

She gave him a look of confusion, her previous thoughts now forgotten. Tohru hadn't given him any money yet, so how could the bill already be paid for? Two scenarios were in her head, either Yuki took care of the bill for her, or Haru did, but which one? She'd have to thank Yuki if he was the one who paid, and she'd have to pay him back if that was the case. He shouldn't have to pay for treatment for **her **brother. Before she could ask him about it, he gently shoved the two girls out the door-less entrance.

"Go, before your brother starts to worry!" he ordered kindly.

The two of them nodded, thanking him before they quickly headed back to the castle. None of them had much to say on the way back. They walked in silence most of the way. Kisa had a lot of questions on her mind, but Tohru looked so preoccupied. Her face had traces of several emotions ranging from confusion to worry. Kisa could tell she wasn't thinking about Haru anymore by the distant look in her eyes.

"Onee-chan? What did he tell you back there that made you so embarrassed?" Kisa asked curiously glancing up at Tohru.

Tohru's cheeks turned a light pink as she muttered, "Nothing… Don't worry about it…"

Kisa nodded, deciding to trust Tohru. Tohru gave her a comforting smile before her mind slipped back to thinking about Yuki. She was positive the next time she saw him or even talked to him, her cheeks would flare with a bright blush. She probably wouldn't even be able to look him in the eye. All of this trouble just because of the doctor's 'boyfriend' comment. Well, at least she knew Yuki had thought about her before he left. That thought made Tohru feel slightly better. Kisa and Tohru walked the rest of the way back quietly lost in their own thoughts.

As soon as the two of them got home, they darted up the flights of stairs and down the long hallways to Haru's room. Quickly, they barged in, forgetting to knock. Immediately looks of relief spread across their faces as soon as they saw Haru sitting upright in bed, flipping though a magazine. He smiled at the two of them and tossed what he was reading aside. Tohru and Kisa stood at the door, just staring at Haru, now completely at ease. Besides the bandages and bruises, he looked perfectly normal. They both raced over to his bed and gave him hugs at the same time. Haru patted their backs, disregarding the pain he felt from the tight embrace. It took the girls a minute to realize that they were hurting him. They immediately released him and kneeled down in front of his bed.

"It took you long enough," he teased them pleasantly.

"Are you alright?" Kisa asked.

"Why did you walk home when you're hurt?" Tohru added with a concerned look.

"First of all, I'm okay. Secondly, I can still walk. I'm not that battered," Haru answered the questions with a grin.

"How did this happen?"

"It all started when I ran off from the castle… I took off 'cause I was really mad at Oubasan. There was nowhere I could go so I decided to go back to town to cool down a bit before I returned, but it turns out a lot of people don't like us too much. Around sunset, a group of men confronted me…"

_Haru sat there, leaning against an unknown brick building. He calmed down quite a bit since he had left the castle. It was about time he headed back. The sun was beginning to set, streetlights were flickering on, and people were closing shops and heading home. The last few pink rays hit his tired face reminding him that it would soon be dark, and if he wanted to be able to see as he walked home, he better start leaving now. He was going to get up when a group of about five people approached him. Haru looked up at them, but the shadows kept their identities hidden as they formed a semicircle around him. _

_"Why are you blocking out my sun?" Haru asked calmly._

_"Get up!" a low unfamiliar voice barked at him._

_"Relax! I'm getting up," Haru replied coolly._

_He slid up to his feet slowly. As soon as he got up, one of the guys punched him in the face. If he had been ready for the attack, he wouldn't have gotten hurt at all, but he was completely unprepared to take a hit. When the first collided with his face, he fell back to the ground hitting his head on the concrete with a harsh smack. Haru chuckled, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He wiped the blood off his cheek grinning. He tilted his head to the side with a smirk eyeing the man who had just punched him._

_"You made me bleed…" he laughed._

_Before he was even standing up, another large guy stepped on his back, forcing his face to be pressed back down to the ground. A crack rang through the empty alley. Haru winced; this guy weighed a ton. Two smaller guys dropped down beside him and covered his mouth with a cloth soaked in chloroform. He tried to resist, twisting and jerking his head to the side, but he was already starting to feel weak and woozy. His world started to spin, the colors started to fade into black, and after a second, all he could see was darkness. _

_Haru's body ached all over when he awoke. He felt a burning sensation as pebbles rubbed against his raw skin. They were dragging him by his legs across the stone covered ground. A puddle of blood spat out from his mouth onto the scratchy dirt before he fainted again._

_He awoke just in time to brace himself for another fall. The wind slapped against his face as his body was tossed up into the air. After a brief moment, gravity began tugging him down at a rapid pace. All he could see in front of him was the color black. Haru turned his face to the side to lessen the impact of the hit, but it didn't help much. A splash of water erupted as soon as Haru's beaten body hit the water. The laughs of the men rang in his head as Haru struggled in the water. Pain resided in his body as he tried his best to stay afloat. _

_Something heavy had been attached to his legs, and it was yanking him downwards. The thick metal chains pulled his body down deeper into the icy cold water. His eyes widened as he tried to free his hands which had been tied behind his back with a tight thick rope. The scratchy string cut his wrists numerous times, digging into his wounds repeatedly. He bit his lip clenching his fists as he tore the rope apart. It drifted away in the dark cloudy water. Haru began to panic as his head plunged under water for the second time, and water and other various objects rubbed against his burning skin._

_He couldn't manage to get his head back to the surface anymore. The distance between him and the surface was quickly increasing. Haru didn't have a second to waste. If he didn't escape soon, he'd drown. He tugged furiously at the chains around his feet, attempting to free himself. A trail of bubbles left his mouth, floating to the surface. Everything soon darkened, and he couldn't concentrate anymore. The last thing he remembered was one of his legs slipping though the chains…_

"And I guess that's about it. I mean you found me, and I survived so I must have made it out."

"Wow! That must have been scary!!!" Kisa choked out in a barely audible voice.

"Nah, fan girls are scarier," Haru responded with a smile.

"You must be hungry!!" Tohru guessed frantically.

"Yeah, a little…" Haru simpered sheepishly as his stomach grumbled.

Tohru and Kisa giggled as they both ran downstairs to get him a meal. It had been a long day for them, and they were starving. They couldn't imagine how Haru was feeling. The last thing he had eaten was breakfast from yesterday, and he probably wasted all of his energy when he was underwater and on his trek home. Haru stared at the open door, waiting for his food. He owed Yuki now for saving him. Tohru wouldn't have been able to carry him to the doctor on her own. For that, Haru would do everything he could to help Tohru see Yuki without arising suspicion from the king and queen. That's what Yuki would want most, to be able to see Tohru, right?

"I think… I learned a little more than I wanted to today… But at least I know Yuki's still a good guy…" Haru muttered to himself, "'Your guardian angel'? I hope you're not saying such cheesy things to her…"

**Late update late update late update... -spaz- I apologize! I have excuses you probably wouldn't want to hear, but I was at the pool yesterday! I wasn't home for more than like 3 hours so... Well you wouldn't care... And this so doesn't count as an excuse, but I have a new obsession with Paramore's new CD, Riot!. Well I love you reader dear! Review and please correct any mistakes I didn't notice!!! ♥**


	22. Three Small Words

Haru stared out the window in his room for a moment. He let out a long sigh and went back to pacing around his room. Storm clouds were brewing in the once bright blue sky. As usual, he was concerned for his sister's safety. Tohru had insisted on going to the store to get more bandages for him since he had complained about not having any clean ones. For once, the entire palace had run out of bandages. No matter what anyone told Tohru, she wouldn't let a servant go in her place nor would she let anyone accompany her. Why did she have to be so stubborn? The sun was already about to set when she had left, and now, the sky was crying out with thunder. He knew she hated both the dark and thunder, but it looked like she'd be encountering both unless she got home quickly.

Yuki had been his first thought explaining why she had wanted to go alone, but he remembered how Yuki had left yesterday. There was no way they could have planned their next meeting in such a short period of time, but why else would Tohru want to go to town alone? It never crossed his mind that Yuki and Tohru had exchanged phone numbers a while back, but even so Yuki wasn't the cause of Tohru's eagerness to go out alone. She just felt the need for some time by herself, but Haru would just have to wait until she returned before he found that out.

---

Meanwhile, Yuki browsed through the silk fabrics in a large tailor shop. He fingered though the smooth selection in front of him. There were so many different colors and patterns. Yuki had no idea which one to pick. He stared at the rack a moment longer before settling on a lovely embroidered blue cloth with a light green hem with dragons lining the edge. The texture and quality of the blue fabric stuck out from the rest, not that he really knew anything about buying fabrics. If he chose poorly, despite Ayame's efforts to teach him the difference between low quality fabric and high quality fabric, he'd refuse to come back. He wasn't even sure how Ayame had convinced him to go out for him. He picked up his choice and headed over to the counter.

"Stupid Niisan… He can't even go out and buy his own fabric! Why do I have to do this?" Yuki muttered as he walked over to the counter.

"Hmm? Did you say something sir?" the vendor asked.

"Ah… No… I'll take ten yards of this," Yuki replied setting the fabric onto the counter.

"He better be satisfied with this…" Yuki mumbled as the lady cut the fabric selection.

When she had finished cutting off ten yards for him, Yuki handed her the payment and took the bagged cloth. He walked out of the store, eager to get home. He had better things to do than hang around in town if Tohru wasn't here with him. He shuffled down the street with the plastic bag slung over his shoulder carelessly. Glancing up at the sky, he realized he'd have to hurry. There were huge storm clouds gathering above. By the looks of it, it didn't look like he'd make it home before it began to rain. A rain drop fell from the sky and landed on the tip of his pale nose. He groaned as more droplets followed that one.

---

Tohru scurried out of the building, clutching the bag of bandages close to her chest. Pellets of rain fell to the ground in a light drizzle. The streets were empty and gloomy; most of the shops were closed already. She bit her lip; she had to get home for Haru's sake. Holding the bag tightly, she stepped out from under the shelter of the roof of the store she had just come from. The speed at which the rain was falling at created a wet veil over her surroundings, making it hard to see. She wasn't sure what had compelled her to go out for Haru when it was so late and when the weather forecast had predicted a storm. She was worried about him and all, but now she was terrified of this dark and empty town. She also hated thunderstorms. They were loud and scary. Tohru took a deep breath and dashed down the muddy road. She ran faster trying to keep the bandages as dry as she could while doing her best not to trip.

She remembered the short cut to her house that Yuki had shown her back in spring and turned into the forest. The ground was more slippery here though. She was having a harder time trying to remain in an upright position with the wet leaves and grass underneath her feet, not to mention she could swear someone was following her. Shards of rain dropped to the ground quicker and more steadily now. The droplets slapped against her already frigid skin. Thunder boomed in the distance, making Tohru jump up and yelp out of fright. She quickened her steps, anxious to get home. Tohru kept her face forward, refusing to check if someone was indeed following her. If someone was chasing her, she wasn't sure what she'd do other than panic and fall over.

Lightening struck, lighting up the bleak sky. Tohru squeezed her eyes shut, dashing forward quickening her pace. She didn't want to see the lightening, it scared her along with thunder, and she was sure she saw someone dressed in black about fifteen feet behind her when she accidentally turned around. The rain fell harder and faster. She felt her terror grow like a wild fire after she heard another boom of thunder. She choked back her screams of fright, running forward, only to run directly into something. Whatever she had run into was drenched from the rain, yet it was still warm and soft. Tohru felt something wrap around her waist. A person? The person who had been following her?

"What are you doing out here in the rain?" She heard a gentle familiar voice ask her.

The rain was coming down in a steady pour now. She pushed herself out of the one-sided embrace, keeping her hands on his chest. Tohru stared up at the man, battering the rain water out of her eyes. The thick barrier of falling rain made it difficult to see this person's face, but from the sound of his voice and the blurry image she could see in front of her, there was no doubt in her mind about the identity of this person. Still, her voice came out in a nervous high-pitched squeak when she made an attempt to speak.

"Yuki-kun?"

After giving her a brisk nod to answer her question, he continued, "You shouldn't run with your eyes closed, especially in the forest. You'll hit something and get hurt. You're just lucky it was me this time."

"Why are you out here?" Tohru breathed.

Tohru took a step closer to Yuki, latching her hand to his for security and glanced back behind her checking for the person who had been behind her, but she saw nothing but rain and trees. His eyes followed hers, not sure why she was looking in that direction, but he didn't question her. She turned back towards Yuki, feeling safer now that she was around him and relieved to find out that no one had been following her after all. Tohru smiled at Yuki. He was always saving, protecting her, helping her, and when he wasn't doing any of those, he was worried about her. For her, he truly was her guardian angel, even if he had directed that to Haru simply to conceal his identity.

"Hey, I asked you first."

"Oh! Sorry! I was getting bandages for Niisan!" Tohru answered holding up the plastic bag for him to see.

"Why are you apologizing?" he asked sweetly placing his hand on her cheek.

He frowned with worry. Her check was shockingly cold. She peered back at him with her large brown eyes which were full of confusion. Tohru didn't like that frown that was upon his face especially since he was staring at her with that look. Had she done something to upset him? Was she gripping his hand too tightly? In case she was, Tohru quickly released his hand, holding her arms up by her head. Yuki drew her back into his arms, holding her tightly, resting his head atop of hers. She gaped, her eyes widening out of shock. At least she knew he wasn't mad at her, but she was still bewildered by his actions.

"Yuki?"

"You're so cold…" he breathed worriedly.

She blinked a couple of times as he continued to hold her closely. Her face and her hands were pressed against his damp top. Yuki wasn't sure if he was helping her get any warmer by hugging her when he was dressed in a wet shirt, but he couldn't just let her stand there shivering. The least he could do was keep the rain from hitting her. Tohru tilted her head upwards, facing him directly. The rain continued to get stronger making his attempt to keep the droplets off her seem feeble. He needed a better solution. He released her but continued to hold her hand. She felt him tug her hand, pulling her somewhere. The sound of the rain crashing to the ground was too loud to make out what he was saying to her.

A confused Tohru followed after him. She didn't even bother trying to speak to him. She trusted him enough to know that wherever he was taking her wouldn't harm her in any way. They walked for a short while through the cloudy rain before she suddenly felt the rain stop. It was impossible! She could still hear the rain crashing down, but she didn't feel it. She blinked several times letting her eyes adjust to the lighting. She couldn't see much other than a vague figure of Yuki before her. Tohru swallowed nervously, grateful that he was still holding her hand. She didn't like this dark place very much, but it was better than being out in the rain.

"Where are we?" Tohru asked in a small voice.

Her eyes hadn't adjusted fully yet. All she knew was it was dark in here and there was some sort of roof to keep the rain off of them. Luckily, it was easier to hear in here. Still, she was scared. Tohru inched closer to Yuki. Slipping her arm through the handles of her bag, she wrapped her other hand around his second hand as well now. He squeezed her hands, only understanding her dread of dark places now. Tohru shut her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves down before she opened them again and smiled at Yuki, waiting for him to answer.

"A cave… I was trying to get you somewhere dry… I remembered passing this on my way here, but it's kind of dark and damp in here. It's not much better. I'm sorry," Yuki told her.

"Thank you… Thank you for worrying about me..." she replied weakly, her teeth chattering from the cold.

"Look at you… You're so cold…"

He looked around, trying to figure out how he could get her warmer. There wasn't much in a cave besides pebbles and stones, and he was positive those wouldn't help at all, and everything outside was too wet to be of any use. Her body was trembling from the cold. He rubbed her hands with his thumbs, not sure what else he could do. Everything he was wearing was wet and cold so he couldn't offer her anything to help dry her off or warm her up. Yuki's thought for a minute before his eyes widened a bit as he remembered what he had bought earlier which had to be dry within its plastic package. He released her hands and dropped to the ground, untying the package.

"What are you doing?" Tohru asked him.

Yuki pulled out the long blue cloth and held it up to her. He had to wave it around for a brief moment before she noticed the fabric in the dark. Tohru stared at the cloth for several seconds before she took the fabric and held it as if it was glass. The cloth felt smoother and softer than anything she had ever touched in her life. Tohru took a deep breath, admiring the beauty. She gazed at the carefully embroidered dragons along the edge with an amazed smile. Even though there wasn't much light in the cave, she could tell it was an extravagant piece of art. Yuki stood up, surprised to find Tohru just holding the fabric.

"Why are you holding it? Wrap it around yourself or at least use it to dry yourself off," Yuki ordered her.

"Eh?"

Tohru stood there, completely speechless, still grasping the cloth delicately in her hands. She couldn't believe what he was telling her to do. She was drenched in dirty rain water from head to toe, and she didn't want to make such an expensive looking selection of fabric dirty on her account. That didn't seem right to her, but Yuki didn't seem to care. To him, the cloth was another inanimate object he could buy again if he needed to, but to Tohru, it was something someone spent time on, even if it probably had been made in some factory. Yuki seemed to be worried more about her own health than she was.

"Do I have to do it for you?"

"I couldn't possibly! This is far too lovely to be ruined by me!" Tohru cried shoving the cloth back at him.

He took it from her and draped it around her thin shoulders despite her pleas for him to stop. She sighed and looked down at her feet in defeat. There was nothing she could do now to save the beautiful fabric, but it did make her feel slightly warmer. Yuki placed both of his hands on her shoulders, bending down so he could actually see her eyes. She was frowning at him while he shook his head. He didn't understand her sometimes. How could she be worried about the cleanliness of something like fabric when she was standing in front of him, shaking because of how cold she was? He moved his hands, wrapping his fingers around the corners of the cloth to keep it from slipping off her thin shoulders.

"Don't be crazy. You're freezing, and yet, you're worried about something like cloth? Do you know you're much more valuable than this fabric, and so much more lovely and beautiful," he whispered to her.

Tohru gazed at him, her cheeks turning pink as he straightened up. He gently pulled the ends of the fabric, bringing her closer to him. Blushing, she took a step towards him before he made her lean over too much and fall on top of him. Tohru shyly cocked her head up, closing her eyes. By now, she could read the obvious signs that told her that he was going to kiss her, but that didn't stop her from being timid about it when they did kiss. Their lips met each other half way. Instinct took over, and they returned each other's kisses passionately. Yuki pulled back for a minute, murmuring, "Your lips are cold too…"

"Will you warm them up then?" she suggested, not bothering to think about how embarrassing her comment had been.

He stared at her for a brief moment, shocked to hear her say something so bold. Yuki would have never guessed that his Tohru would tell him to do something like that without at least blushing. He chuckled softly before he pressed his lips back against hers. She let her arms make their way around his neck. He released his hold on the cloth, entangling his hands in her dark wet strands. Without replying to her comment, he kissed her, slowly giving her what she wanted. Tohru was too enraptured in the kiss to even think about what she had just said, let alone fuss over it, and to Yuki, that comment had been nothing but adorable.

"Is your neck cold too?" he muttered as he left a trail of kisses down her neck. Tohru blinked, craning her neck up to give him more room. She was blushing crazily, but it did feel rather nice besides the fact that it tickled, and she was embarrassed about it. Tohru tried her best not to burst out giggling. She moved her hands to the back of his head, staring up at the top of the cave in attempt to keep her laughs to herself. He didn't kiss her neck as much as he kissed her mouth. She didn't have time to get used to this feeling. How could she when she still got flustered when he kissed her mouth?

"My mouth is colder…" she answered softly.

"Really?" he mumbled, getting the hint and going back to kissing her lips.

After a few more minutes, they broke apart breathlessly. He kissed the tip of her nose before asking, "Warmer now?"  
"Yes…"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. He placed both of his hands on her wrists, carefully pulling them off of his neck. Yuki brought them to his face, planting kisses all over her hands. Tohru giggled, blushing a dark shade of red before pulling her hands away from him shyly. She held her hands close to her chest, not sure what she should say to him. That had been a lot more embarrassing than having him caress her neck with kisses, but during both of those situations, she seemed to be the only one who had been bashful. He cupped her chin in one of his hands, running his thumb across her bottom lip, coaxing her to open her mouth before he stole another kiss from her.

"All fun aside… You should really try to warm up…" he said as he rubbed her bare arms.

He pulled the cloth higher up on her shoulders. Grasping one of her hands, he pulled her down to the ground slowly and into a sitting position. She sat on the hard stone floor in between Yuki's long legs. Yuki propped himself up against the cave wall, letting Tohru use his chest as a pillow. Tohru smiled, staring out the entrance at the rain. He had chosen the perfect spot for her. They were deep enough within the cave to stay out of the storm, but they were close enough to the entrance for the moonlight to reach them. She leaned back against him, peering up at his face.

"Yuki?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you have this cloth?" Tohru asked lifting up a corner of the fabric to show him.

"Oh… I never answered your question, did I?"

She shook her head. She had basically forgotten that she had even questioned him for the reason of his presence in the forest until now. Tohru twisted her body around so that she was facing him instead of having her back to him. She liked looking at a person's face when she was talking to him even if this position was slightly difficult to hold. Yuki wrapped his arms around her waist, helping her remain in that winded posture. He was glad to see that she was calm enough to ask him questions. His kisses weren't just to help _warm her up_, but he also wanted Tohru to forget about her fears of the dark and of the storm.

"I had to go buy some fabric for my brother. You see, you can call him a tailor. Before I could get back home, it started raining so I tried to wait out the rain, and that's when you ran into me," Yuki explained.

"Oh… Well it doesn't look like the rain is going to let up anytime soon." Tohru responded tiredly.

If having it rain meant she got to spend time with Yuki, then maybe she could learn to like rainstorms, maybe even look forward to them. She yawned sleepily, struggling to keep her eyes open. Her eyelids drooped, begging to be shut. She tried to resist, but the steady rhythm the rain was making was too soothing, and Yuki was quite a comfortable pillow. Tohru jerked her head a bit to chase away her sleepiness, but it didn't help much. Through half opened eyes, Tohru watched the rain dance around the floor, trying to keep her mind off of sleep. She couldn't fall asleep here when Haru was at home waiting for her to return with the bandages. He'd worry about her if she didn't return home, but it was late.

"Tired?"

Tohru nodded, her eyes shutting completely as she drifted off to sleep. Yuki pulled her closer to him, holding her tightly in his arms but not tight enough to disturb her rest. He brushed her wet hair away from her face and pressed her body against his so he could share his body heat with her. Yuki pulled the cloth up to her chin, using it as a blanket now. It was the closest thing to a blanket he had, and it was getting pretty chilly out now that it was nighttime. The last thing he wanted was for her to catch a cold because he had been careless enough to not notice how frigid she was. He rested his chin on her shoulder, whispering into her ear, "I love you…"

She stirred, turning over until she looked like she was looking up at him and murmured, "I love you too Yuki-kun…"

His eyes widened out of shock. He pulled away slightly, not sure if he had just imagined that or if she had really said that to him. She smiled at him, still fast asleep. For a minute, he thought she was awake, but when she flipped over again and muttered something about rice balls, he was positive that she was still dreaming. A faint grin spread across his face. He would have been happier if she had been awake and had heard his confession, but at least he knew her reaction. Most people didn't lie in their sleep so her feelings had to be true, but being able to tell it to her face would probably take some time. He knew he had barely _known_ her for sixth months, or he only had six months worth of memories of her, but he couldn't deny the feeling in his heart. Maybe his feelings towards her from their past relationship were the cause of his quickly developing love for her.

"I wish I had the courage to tell that to you when you're awake… I still have to tell you that I'm a prince too…"

He cradled her tightly. Her reaction hadn't been bad, in fact, it had been a splendid reaction, so why did telling her his feelings still seem like such a hard task. At least, it'd be easier than telling her about his status. Knowing what Tohru had just muttered to him in her sleep, the worst reaction he could get from Tohru when he tells her he loves her would be making her flustered and embarrassed, but how she'd respond to the fact that he was a prince was another story. For all he knew, she could hate him forever for being a prince, and that possibility of hatred was what scared him. He stared at her angelic face a moment longer before shutting his eyes and joining her in sleep.

The harsh rain eased to a gentle end. By now, it was daybreak. Birds, chirping and fluttering around, acted as nature's natural alarm. Tohru yawned, stretching out both of her arms and legs. She opened her eyes, bewildered by what she saw before her. She let out a high pitch shriek, jumping up to her feet and hitting her head against a stalactite hanging off of the cold stone roof. Her legs shook; her hands clutched her head which throbbed with pain. Yuki woke up with a start when he heard her scream and hit her head. He blinked a couple of times, slightly confused. Tears began to stream down her face. For once, Yuki actually woke up as soon as he opened his eyes. Yuki swiftly got up and crouched down beside her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders in a half hug.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

She lowered her hands, looking at him through her long dark hair that was currently hiding her face and the two inch cut that ran across her forehead. Yuki placed his hands on her arms, scanning her body for an injury or something else that would make her cry, but he didn't see anything unusual. He didn't notice the cut because of her bangs. Moving his hands to her face, he wiped the tears off of her face. She covered his hands with her own nervously, gripping them tightly.

"Yuki-kun?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"Who else silly? Now, does it hurt anywhere?" he asked her in an urgent but concerned voice.

She blinked away the rest of her tears, staring at him. Tohru attempted to force a smile but ended up wincing instead. She didn't want to worry him, but she couldn't pretend her head didn't hurt. Tears struggled to form again. Tohru released his hands, moving them to cover her forehead which was starting to throb more and more by the second. Yuki looked at her, waiting for a response when he saw the bloody handprints on the backs of his hands. He peered up at her hands, noticing the red liquid slowly dripping down her knuckles.

"You're bleeding!" he exclaimed grabbing a hold of both of her blood splattered hands.

Her eyes widened out of shock She had been oblivious to how hard she had actually hit her head and had no idea she was bleeding until he had pointed it out. He held her hands away from her face as he observed her injury. Blood trickled down her pale forehead, streaming down her nose and her cheeks, and finally dripping off her chin. A drop slipped off and hit her arm. Tohru glanced at the bead of blood resting on her arm and started to panic from the sight of blood. Yuki used the edge of his sleeve to wipe away as much blood as he could in attempt to get her to settle down.

"Shh… Relax…" he soothed trying to calm her down.

He held onto her with one arm and used the other to grab the cloth. While he kept eye contact with Tohru, he felt around the ground for the cloth. He grasped it in his hand and placed it in Tohru's hands. She barely held onto it with her trembling hands. Yuki looked at her shaking fingers before moving his gaze back to her fear filled eyes. Tohru stared at the cloth then back to him with confusion now. She was too scared to speak and ask him why he had given her the fabric.

"We have to stop the bleeding," he muttered.

Yuki took the cloth, which was still damp from the rain, and pressed it against her forehead to stop the blood flow. For now, the wound had stopped gushing, but he was positive that the wound wasn't anywhere close to being clean. He didn't want to imagine how many germs were now on Tohru's cut. The cave roof had to be anything but sanitary. Even if he had no soap on him, the least he could do for her was rinse off the dirt and other nameless particles on her head. He glanced around the cave looking around for some clean water. There was no water source in the cave but puddles by the exit which he expected would do more harm than good. It seemed like he'd have to go out and bring water back here.

"Tohru, listen to me. I have to go get water before your cut becomes infected," Yuki explained to her.

"Don't leave me…"

Tohru clung to him, looking up at him with frightened eyes and shook her head slowly. What he was saying sounded reasonable. She knew that an infection on her head would mean death since amputating her head wouldn't be an option, and she knew her request was beyond ridiculous in a situation like this, but something inside of her didn't want him to leave her alone. Tohru clasped his arm firmly between her two arms and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to let him know how badly she wanted him to stay with her. He bit his bottom lip, trying to figure out what he should do. He couldn't pry her hands off and leave her here to get water even if it would help her. She gripped his arm tightly. There was no way he could bring himself to force her to stay here alone when she was in this state.

"Okay then… Hold this onto your head," he instructed her, slipping the cloth into her hands and pressing them near her face.

She obeyed, keeping the cloth in its place over the cut. He scooped her up in his arms and stood up, carrying her the way a groom would carry a bride on their way through the threshold. Tohru peeked up at him curiously when she felt her feet leave the ground. A bit startled and frightened, Tohru wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her face against his shoulder, letting his body keep the cloth over her forehead instead of using her hands. Yuki looked down at her, shifting his hands to a more secure position. Keeping one hand under her thighs and the other behind her upper back, he took a few steps outside of the cave. Tohru glanced up at Yuki, accidentally letting the cloth slip off the wound.

"Yuki?" she whispered in a small voice.

"I'm right here… Don't worry one bit. I'm no doctor nor do I have any soap, but I'll make this all better. I promise… Just hang on tightly and keep the fabric on top of your cut," he reassured her in a comforting voice.

Tohru nodded and picked up the cloth that lied in the valley created by her abdomen touching his chest. She used one hand to keep the cloth in place and placed the other securely around his neck. He held her delicately as he took off to the nearest water source he knew of: the lake. As soon as he arrived at his destination, he immediately crouched down and gently set her on the ground close to the water. Tohru didn't let go of him, keeping her arm latched around his neck.

"Tohru, I'm going to need you to let go of me and the cloth…" he told her softly.

Her shaky arms lowered down to her sides. He faintly smiled at her, giving her a quick kiss on top of her head before taking the cloth from her. Yuki soaked the once blue fabric in the clear water. Blood that had been released from the threads floated aimlessly in the water, creating a small red puddle that gradually faded pink then dispersed in the water until it was no longer visible. Not even bothering to scrub out the stains, he wrung out as much water as he could and went back to Tohru. Tohru kept her frightened eyes on him and swallowed nervously as Yuki observed the red cut that ran across the top of her forehead. He placed one hand behind her head to keep her from moving away before gingerly running the wet cloth across the wound.

"Does it hurt?"

She shook her head from side to side. It stung a little, but she could bear the pain. Yuki smiled faintly and took one of her hands in his left, allowing her to squeeze his fingers if her forehead started to hurt. He didn't need to keep one hand on the back of her head now. He could tell she wouldn't try to stop him from disinfecting her injury. Yuki gently dabbed the cool wet cloth across her face. The blood left her face, clinging to the fabric easily. Once her pale skin showed again, he slipped it into her hands to remove the red from them. Tohru stared down, watching the cleaning process.

"Your cut doesn't seem too deep… You won't need stitches," Yuki told her.

"Huh?"

"Glad you're listening. I said your cut isn't that deep, but we should bandage it…" he repeated, looking around for something that could serve as a bandage.

Tohru's eyes lit up as she remembered what she got for Haru. She was happy to see that she had something to contribute now. Tohru peered down to make sure the bag was still hooked around her arm. Her grin doubled in size as she pulled the package off of her arm and lifted it up for him to see. He stared blankly at plastic bag. The opacity of the plastic kept whatever was inside a secret from him. She looked at the bag and untied the handles to show him the roll of bandages within.

"Here!" she said simply, "You wanted bandages, right?"

He smiled at her, taking the roll of bandages from her. Yuki was glad to see that Tohru had bandages because he didn't think a bandage made out of leaves and whatever else was lying around outside would do any good or even stay together. He unwound a long strip of the bandage and ripped it off before turning to Tohru. Tohru sat there with a small smile upon her face. She had calmed down remarkably. Maybe without the sight of blood it wasn't as scary to her.

"Okay then. Stay still…" he told her.

Tohru nodded to show him she had been listening this time. He pushed her bangs up, and Tohru instinctively placed her hands on top of her head to keep her bangs off her cut. He wrapped the strap around her forehead as best as he could manage. Yuki secured the ends with a loose knot at the back of her head. The bandage flopped to the side, partially covering the top of her eyes and barely clinging to her head. Tohru blinked and pushed the strap off of her eyes. Yuki frowned and unwound the bandage and redid it, a bit more securely this time. At least, it looked more like a bandage instead of a blindfold now.

"I'm sorry… I'm not quite good at these things… You'd probably want to rewash and re-bandage your cut when you get home…" he said to her as he gave her the rest of the bandages back.

"Thank you," she replied with a wide grin.

"So you're okay now?"

She nodded, still beaming. She looked down, a bit embarrassed now to have acted so childish over such a small cut. If he didn't think poorly of her before, she was sure he did now, or at least, he couldn't possibly think highly of her after that display of her childhood she had just presented him with. Seeming to know exactly what she was thinking about, Yuki chuckled softly at her. He patted her head, getting her to cheer up a little bit before he decided to tease her a bit. Tohru beamed innocently at him.

"And after all of that work, all you can say is 'thank you'?"

Tohru stared at him with wide confused eyes. What did he mean by that? She knew he deserved more than the two simple words she had given him, but she didn't think he'd ask for more. He wasn't the kind of person who asked for a reward, or at least that's what she had thought. Tohru's eyebrows knitted together guiltily as she tried to think of someway she could repay him. Yuki was laughing crazily in his head at the expression across her face, but he didn't show anything other than complete seriousness upon his face. Teasing her was too much fun to stop now.

"You even ruined my precious cloth and yet…"

She stared at the blood stained fabric in her hands and gasped, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I'll wash it out right away!"

Frantically, she jumped up and turned around to try and wash the stains out in the lake when she felt something wrap around her wrist and restrain her, yanking her back. She whirled around, falling into Yuki's lap. He still held her hand in his as he laughed. Tohru peered up at his smiling face, not quite understanding the situation anymore. At one moment, he seemed angry at her for ruining the silk cloth, but now he was keeping her from washing it and smiling at her. She lied there on his legs, not sure what to say or even ask. He wrapped his arms around her lovingly, pulling her up into a sitting position.

"I was kidding… Don't you remember anything I said last night? This cloth isn't precious to me, you are…" he whispered to her.

Tohru remained there shocked. She tried to remember yesterday, but most of her memories were fuzzy. The hit she took to her head made it difficult to remember yesterday night. She knew she had headed to town to pick up some fresh bandages for Haru, but after she ran into Yuki, she couldn't remember much. One phrase came back to her though. _I love you_… Those three words were burned into her mind now. A blush crept up to her face as she shook her head, deciding that had just been a dream. He couldn't have possibly said that to her of all people. She was probably imagining things. Her injury must have left her delusional. Boys weren't supposed to fall in love with her. She was just a clumsy dolt. The only men who had ever loved her were Haru and her dad.

"What's wrong?" Yuki asked her, pulling away and staring at the red faced girl.

"Nothing… You just startled me is all…" she smiled, leaning forward and hugging him this time.

It was Yuki's turn to be surprised by her sudden boldness. He was used to her shyness and reluctance to display affection. Usually he had to start the kisses or embraces before she did anything romantic. Luckily, he recovered before the moment became awkward, and she started apologizing again. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently until she pulled away. She had to get home to give Haru his bandages regardless of her desire to stay with Yuki. Tohru sighed and reluctantly got up. As usual they walked to her home together, hand in hand. Her face lit up with a blush as the castle came into view.

"Yuki-kun?"

"Yes?"

"May I keep this?" she asked, her blush darkening as she held up the cloth.

He stared at her oddly. Her request had been unusual to his ears. It wasn't like the dirty cloth he had used to keep her warm and wipe the blood off of her face was anything special. It probably wasn't even worth anything. He didn't know what to say in response, and Tohru mistook his confusion for a rejection and immediately shoved the bundle back at him. Dumbfounded, he held onto it, not sure what to do or what she was thinking at the moment. Tohru flailed her arms around, praying that he hadn't been offended by her request.

"I'm sorry! What was I thinking? You bought it for your brother-" she started embarrassedly.

He silenced her by handing it back to her. Her eyes widened out of shock. She gazed at the bundle in her hands before returning her eyes to his face. He smiled at her and closed her fingers around the fabric. If she wanted to keep the cloth, he had no problem with letting her do so. He'd have no further use for the cloth anyways. Ayame wouldn't accept a bloody cloth. If he kept it, he would have probably just tossed it away. There was no point in letting such an expensive cloth go to waste since she seemed like she'd take good care of it.

"No… I was just baffled. I don't understand why you would want to keep something so filthy…" he explained.

"That's because it's a precious memory to me!" she responded shyly hanging onto the cloth dearly.

He smiled, "You'd better get going then… Your brother is waiting for the bandages…"

"Okay then! I'll see you later! Thank you for everything Yuki-kun!" she added in a peppy voice before running to the main gates.

Since they knew she had left this time, she didn't have to sneak in as she usually did. The gates immediately opened to let her in before she even said a word or made a sound. She snuck back a smile in Yuki's direction before she stepped onto the castle grounds. In a flash, Haru was in front of her, encircling her in his arms. Squished between him and her were his bandages and her cloth. Tohru gasped. She had been completely caught off guard by his quick movements. Basically, she had forgotten that she hadn't returned home last night until this moment.

"Haru-nii?"

---

Yuki watched the two of them hidden in the forest with envy burning in his eyes. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he didn't like the fact that Tohru was hugging Haru. He told himself repeatedly that Haru was just her brother, and that he was worried, but the jealously he felt refused to vanish. He didn't like how close Haru was to Tohru. In fact, he basically hated it. He didn't want her to be held in such a manner by anyone other than himself, even if Haru was her brother, but there wasn't much he could do about it. She loved her brother, and he knew that. He clenched his fists together, forcing himself to leave the place before he ran over and stole Tohru away from Haru or got caught.

---

"I was worried to death… You didn't come home at all last night…" he muttered to her, squeezing her tightly.

"I'm sorry! It was just raining so hard that I couldn't make it back home…"

He took a step back and placed both of his hands on her shoulders. Even if what she said was true, he could tell she was hiding something from him. Haru figured Yuki had helped her a lot. There was no way she would have been able to spend a night outside during a thunderstorm alone since she was frightened of both the dark and of thunder. Having Yuki with her had to be what she wasn't telling him, and the reddish mark on her neck, he assumed was from kisses, proved it. He wouldn't pry though, he'd let her get away with thinking she had indeed tricked him. Haru stared at her face for a brief moment before he spotted the white strip across her head.

"What happened to your head?" he asked, pointing at the poorly wrapped bandage around her head.

Tohru smiled, remembering her cut. She placed one of her hands on her head, laughing bashfully. Haru and Kisa both knew how clumsy she was, but it was still embarrassing to tell them of her little mishaps that occurred practically everyday. To her advantage, she also remembered the cloth she was holding. Without drawing attention to her hands, she slipped the fabric behind her back, holding it there with one of her hands. She paused before murmuring, "I hit my head."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes! I got your bandages! I'm sorry I used some!" Tohru cried extending the bag to him with her other hand.

He smiled, taking the package from her, "Thanks."

He ruffled her hair, tossing the strands around messily. Her hair hung around her head in a scattered disarray. Tohru shook the locks out of her face. She wanted to fix her hair, but it'd be awkward, and Haru would definitely notice something was up if she only fixed the mess with just one hand. She should have thought twice before she asked Yuki to give her the cloth. She wanted to keep it, but if Haru saw it, it would certainly arise suspicion, and at the moment, she couldn't come up with a single reason that would explain why she had it.

"Who wrapped that for you anyways? It's _unique_…" he chuckled as he took another look at the bandage.

She smiled but remained silent, not answering his question. Haru didn't notice; he was too relieved to have his sister back safely to care about whether she answered his questions or not. The person who wrapped the bandage wasn't important, just as long as Tohru was okay. The wrapping looked poorly enough for Tohru to have done it by herself, and since he had never seen an example of Yuki's medical _talent_, he settled with believing that Tohru had done the wrapping herself.

"Let's go inside… Kisa's been worried sick too."

Tohru nodded, following Haru into the palace. She stayed a step behind him so he wouldn't find out about the bloodstained cloth she was holding behind her back. As soon as she stepped one foot inside the palace, Kisa jumped up from her seat on the stairs and flung her arms around Tohru. Tohru stumbled backwards from the force, nearly falling out the door and onto her bottom. Luckily for her, Haru was standing beside her and held her upright with an arm slung around her shoulders. Kisa grinned and looked up at Tohru happily. She was glad to see that Tohru was okay and hadn't been kidnapped or murdered.

"Onee-chan! You're back!" Kisa exclaimed joyously, "What happened to you? Where were you? Are you okay?"

Kisa peered at her anxiously, awaiting answers to all of her questions. Tohru smiled warmly, giving Kisa a one armed hug. It took her brain a minute to register all of the questions Kisa had just asked. She was never good at answering multiple questions at once; she just couldn't seem to remember them all. Besides, since what happened to her involved her being with Yuki, she'd need extra time to think through her answers or she might accidentally blurt out Yuki's name. Once again, Haru was her savior.

"Kisa, why don't you let her get cleaned up first?" Haru suggested.

Kisa stepped back from Tohru, listening to Haru regardless of her curiosity.

"I'll be right back then…" Tohru replied.

"Take your time… You need a bath too," Haru said seriously.

Tohru blushed embarrassedly before she ran up the stairs to her room. She knew she was probably covered in dirt and other substances, but it was embarrassing to hear that said aloud. She shut the door behind her and locked it. She smiled out of relief and clutched the cloth tightly. Slowly, she walked to her mirror and stared at herself. In her reflection, she could only see her own faults. Bags rested underneath her brown eyes from lack of sleep, her hair was tangled and rough looking, her lips were dry and cracked, yet Yuki had still said she was beautiful. Who was he kidding? She was anything but beautiful.

"Yuki…" she whispered his name, gingerly running her hands across the bandage.

What was this feeling? Her heart ached to be beside him, her body longed to be held by him, but most of all, her ears begged to hear him tell her he loved her. She stared at the dirty cloth in her hands. His scent still faintly clung to the fabric. Tohru brought it to her face, grasping it for comfort. With a deep breath, she set the cloth down and walked to the bathroom. She filled the tub with warm water and slipped off her filthy dress, letting it drop to the ground. Cautiously, she got into the tub and sat down. She scrubbed away the layers of dirt that had coated her skin and soaked her body in the warm soapy water. Tohru decided that she wanted to make herself more beautiful for him. She knew he already thought she was gorgeous, but she wanted to be worthy of being called his lover. She wanted to be the only woman he looked at from now on.

"Mom… I think I'm in love with Yuki-kun… You remember that boy I introduced to you, right? Well I think I love him…"

After her long bath, she dressed in a light cotton gown and ran a comb through her dark locks of hair. With great care, she braided the strands into two pigtails at the sides of her head. She stared at her reflection again and smiled satisfactorily. Her skin shone with more radiance now that the grim that had once covered it was washed off. Tohru removed the bandage gently fingering the small cut that ran across her forehead. She winced and replaced the bandage over the cut. Luckily for her, her bangs and the rest of her hair hid the white strap from view unless you looked carefully. There wasn't a chance in the world she was going to tell the king or queen about last night. They'd make her so nervous that she might accidentally say something about Yuki.

At least with Haru and Kisa, they gave her time to think over her words before she had to say anything. She'd have to tell them about Yuki sooner or later, but for now, she'd choose later. She didn't want to do anything that might jeopardize her outings with Yuki. Her eyes ran over the blood covered cloth, and she grimaced. She grabbed it and darted back to the bathroom, plopping it in the sink. She turned the faucet on, letting water run over the beautiful fabric. The blood trickled down the drain mixed along with water. A few red splotches remained. With a little effort, she managed to scrub out the stains and restore the cloth to its original color. Tohru draped the blue again cloth across the tub to dry. She smiled and walked out of her room to find Haru and Kisa and explain herself.

---

Yuki walked through town, passing by as an unknown stranger as usual. He couldn't get her out of his mind. Not that it was a bad thing, but every time he thought about her, his mind would drift to the image of her hugging Haru. No matter what he did or told himself, it just seemed hopeless. He couldn't convince himself that it was just affection between siblings. His mind didn't understand the concept of family love since all he had ever known were arguments, silence, physical fighting, and punishment. There wasn't any closeness between himself and his so called family. They were complete strangers to each other. They didn't know a thing about him, and he didn't know a thing about them. Yuki shook his head, refusing to think of the dark thoughts he had sealed away so long ago.

Before he met her, his life had had no meaning, no purpose; nothing had meant as much to him as she did now. She had wiped away all of his feelings of being unwanted and unneeded in a flash. Tohru had shown him that someone did need him around. She needed him. He lived to please her now. All he did he did to make her smile or laugh. She was the one for him; he was sure of it, no matter what anybody else said. Unintentionally, she had showed him the meaning of his own life. Even though he was so enwrapped in his own thoughts, he couldn't help but notice something that was bright pink in the corner of his eye. There, on a stand sat something that might as well screamed his name for it was perfect for her. The soft pink cloth with the lilac colored orchids embroidered on it would look stunning on her.

Yuki walked to that store displaying the fabric and stepped inside, mesmerized by the beauty of it, and the next thing he knew, he was sitting in his room with the fabric in his hands. He hadn't thought this through thoroughly. There wasn't much he could do with cloth. Sewing wasn't exactly a talent of his. Ayame was always an option, but he wasn't quite sure if he could take the teasing that would come along with it. Most definitely, Ayame would figure out that it was for Tohru, and he'd bother him about it, but Yuki had no other choice if he wanted it to be perfect. Only Ayame had such sewing abilities. Yuki groaned simple imagining what Ayame would say.

He stood in front of Ayame's door with his hand outstretched to knock. For the tenth time, he dropped his arm, lacking the courage once again. With a sigh, he silently cursed himself for being such a coward. His head lowered in disappointment. Yuki looked back up, throwing his head back in frustration. He was about to give up and retreat back to his room when the door swung open. Ayame walked out with a bewildered expression.

"Yuki?"

Yuki flinched, looking at Ayame embarrassedly. He didn't know what to do or say. Wordlessly, he held out the cloth. There was a quick pause before Ayame exclaimed, "What extraordinary beauty! The texture! The look! The vibrant colors! It almost overwhelms my ever-so large heart!"

Yuki stared at his older brother in disbelief. Ayame was now examining the fabric by the inch. Ayame fingered the embroidery, he held the cloth up to the light, he did many things that looked (to Yuki) like he was searching for some sort of flaw in such perfection. Yuki watched Ayame quizzically, still attempting to think of a way to convey what he wanted to Ayame without bringing up Tohru. That would be a hard task seeing as he himself wasn't quite sure what it was that he wanted. His body had just acted on its own, and now, he was struggling to do something with that cloth.

"Ah, but here lies one problem…"

"What?" Yuki asked.

"The assignment that has been given to me is to be for a male. Pink will not do this time…" Ayame sighed, shaking his head to the side slowly.

"This isn't for your stupid job!!!" Yuki snapped, snatching it back from Ayame, "Never mind! Just pretend this never happened!"

Yuki blushed embarrassedly as he started to storm away. He had tried, and he failed. Yuki gripped the cloth tightly in his hands. What a waste. He hadn't succeeded in getting Ayame to make something for Tohru with it. If she got something made from this cloth, he was sure she'd be ecstatic, but what could he do with fabric? The answer was simple: nothing. He'd go burn the cloth now before Ayame saw the connection between the cloth and Tohru. Ayame stood there empty handed and shocked. He looked at Yuki who was getting father away by the second, trying to figure out the meaning of the pink fabric. It was definitely for a girl, but who was the lucky girl?

"But wait! For whom shall I ask is going to be receiving such splendor?"

"Forget it!" Yuki replied as he continued forward.

"Tohru-kun?"

Yuki froze for a split second but recovered quickly, but not quick enough. Ayame saw the brief pause and ran towards Yuki with an excited smile sprawled across his face. By Yuki's red face, Ayame knew he had guessed correctly. Yuki clenched the cloth tighter and continued to walk down the hallway to the sanctuary of his room, hoping Ayame would just disappear or drop the subject, but Ayame did neither. Ayame was persistent and followed after him with an idiotic smile across his face. He was a gossiper; he loved to hear things about people's lives, especially Yuki's love life.

"I was right! Do tell! I'll make whatever it is that you want! Just tell me!" Ayame encouraged him.

Yuki turned around to face his older brother, trying to put together the perfect words to tell Ayame what he wanted. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His head hung low as he helplessly shoved the bundle back into Ayame's hands. How could he ask Ayame to make something for Tohru when he didn't even know what he wanted to be made? Hopefully, Ayame could fill that gap in for him since his mind was completely blank. All he knew was that he didn't want some lecherous costume made for Tohru.

"Just make something for her, please… But don't you dare make anything perverted or I'll skin you alive," Yuki warned.

"The star of luck is just shining on you today for my head is just filled to the brim with ideas!" Ayame exclaimed half flattering himself.

Yuki looked at his older brother oddly, not quite understanding the situation he was in. Ayame began fluttering around the hallway talking to himself about his ideas. All the while, Ayame was inching closer to his room. Yuki had no idea what was going on, but it would seem that Ayame had agreed. That was a good thing, right? The words sputtering out of Ayame's mouth didn't sound very lewd at least. After a minute, Ayame paused and glanced at Yuki with his mouth wide open. His face contorted with some form of minor anger as he stuck his forefinger at Yuki accusingly. Yuki raised his eyebrows in return at Ayame, wondering what the problem was now.

"Ah! Now shoo! I shall look down on this crude eavesdropping! The result will be a grand surprise for you!" Ayame told him as he dashed into his room after pushing Yuki away.

Yuki blinked, still not quite sure what had just happened, but he couldn't wait to see Tohru's reaction when she saw whatever Ayame made. She'd be thrilled, he just knew it, and that thought made his heart soar. It was a peculiar thing, but her happiness meant more to him than his own. When she was happy, he was just as joyful. She was the center of his world. There was no point in denying it; he loved her. He was deeply in love with her, and she was just as crazy in love with him.

**Good evening/morning whatnot my little lovely readers D I slacked. I apologize, but review and help me catch errors... My mind was wandering near the end of the editing process... **

**Psst... You'll love the next chapter, or at least I did :/ -scurries off to write "The Result" **


	23. With Love Comes Joy and Misery

Yuki held onto Tohru's hand securely, leading her down a narrow dirt path. Together, hidden amongst the trees of the forest, they were taking a walk with no destination in mind. Neither of them cared about where they went or what they were going to do anymore. Just as long as they were with one another, nothing else mattered. Tohru glanced up at him happily. She couldn't help but grin now that she was with him. She hadn't seen him for almost a whole week, which was starting to get unbearable for the both of them. It seemed a little farfetched for them to be so attached, but they were. He looked down at her with a similar smile across his face.

"How is your head?" he asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had formed between them.

"Better… It's healing quickly," Tohru answered.

"That's good. I'm glad…" he added with a charming smile.

He felt shivers run down his back, a feeling he only got when he was being watched. Yuki's eyes slanted down to Tohru's face suspiciously. For once, she didn't shy away and break her intent gaze. She just continued to stare at him joyously. He looked like an angel sent down from heaven, an angel just for her. He was like a flawless, mythical creature with the most beautiful and softest gray eyes she had ever seen. Tohru, even after all of this time, still hadn't figured out what this _god_ saw in her, but he seemed content with her. He really was ecstatic when he was around her, but she didn't seem willing to accept that. Compared to him, she was less than ordinary. She still thought that no matter how many times he told her she was beautiful, but she couldn't complain. She was just satisfied with being at his side.

"Is there something on my face?" he teased her.

"No… I'm just admiring how handsome you look…" she admitted softly.

"Hmm… Is that so? Well you look gorgeous today…"

She giggled timidly and blushed as she leaned against his shoulder. Yuki placed his arm around her shoulders, both of them shocked, wondering where she had gotten enough confidence to say that aloud. He was usually the one who tossed around the complements, but he was too preoccupied to tease her about it. He still felt like he was being watched, but Tohru was no longer looking at him. Yuki glanced around the forest carefully. He froze in midair. His ears perked up at the sound of quiet footsteps gradually growing louder. He abruptly turned to face her, placing the tip of his finger to his lips before he pulled her behind a row of thick trees. Tohru obediently followed, confused. The only part she understood was that she had to remain silent.

Tohru stood close to Yuki uneasily. She had never noticed the forest rested atop a cliff before. They were standing extremely close to the edge, less than a footstep away. The bottom seemed quite a distance away. In reality, the slope wasn't that steep, and the bottom wasn't that far down, but the top was a vertical drop for several feet, and through the eyes of an acrophobic, it was terrifying. Alarmed, Tohru edged closer to Yuki's back. With her eyes closed, she told herself not to look down. Tohru repeated the phrase in her head like mantra for a minute until she could force her eyes open. Accidentally, now that her eyes weren't shut, she found herself peering downwards and swaying towards the edge.

Suddenly, she felt her feet lose contact with the ground. Maybe it was a bad idea to close her eyes and chant if it made her lose her balance. Her eyes widened helplessly, too late to regret it now. She tried to call out Yuki's name, but she was scared speechless. Nothing would come out of her mouth. Yuki spun around in time to see her flailing her arms as she began to drop. He reached out to grab her, but he was too late. His fingers wrapped around the air and nothing else. Instinctively, he jumped down after her, pulling her into his arms without really thinking through his actions. His mind was focused only on keeping her out of harm's way.

He flipped over so that she rested on top, using his body as a shield to protect her. Tohru pressed her face into his chest, squeezing her eyes closed out of fear. They landed with a crash and began rolling down the side of the hill. Yuki tightened his grip on her, crushing her to him as he felt small rocks scratch against his skin. He'd rather those sharp stones cut him a million times than to have a single scratch on her skin. Their speed rapidly decreased, easing them to a stop at the soft grassy bottom. Tohru dizzily opened her eyes, not sure what had happened.

Blurry images spun around for a minute before she could concentrate and make out her setting. She placed her hand over her forehead, blocking out the sun from her eyes. It was odd; she didn't feel as much pain as she thought she would from such a fall. Actually, the only thing she could feel was something pinning her down to the grass, but the weight quickly disappeared, and Yuki's concerned gray eyes appeared in front of her face. He was practically lying on top of her. His outstretched arms were the only things that separated them. So he had been the mass on top of her previously.

"Are you okay," were the first words that slipped out of his mouth.

She looked up at him with bewildered eyes, stunned silent. Tohru nodded slowly, letting the events sink in. Tohru, unable to believe what had just happened, lied there perfectly still. Her eyes scanned his body, noting the small cuts on his arms and the few little rips in his shirt. Her mouth dropped open, and her eyes enlarged with worry, but he ignored that look. She lifted her arm to touch his arm, but she dropped it before her fingers grazed a cut. Her breathing sped up with guilt. This was her fault. She had made him get hurt, and she was ashamed, no, angry at herself for doing that to him, but, he was focused on checking her for injuries. He couldn't find anything serious and was relieved, but Tohru was anything but relieved.

"Yuki jumped after me…?" Tohru muttered.

"Of course!"

"B-but why?! You could have- You are hurt!" she corrected herself.

"Why?" he repeated slowly. He looked up at her face incredulously. The answer seemed clear enough to him. He would have smiled, maybe even laughed at her question if not for hysteria painted across her face. Her breathing wasn't even close to its normal rate. She was staring at the worst cut he had, about an inch long, with a remorseful look across her face. Tohru was on the verge of tears. She could already feel the tears gathering in her eyes. She bit her bottom lip, struggling to stay calm as she stared at his face, trying to get a reaction from him, but all she could see was concern. Shouldn't he be mad at her for causing him pain? It wasn't right for him to get hurt over her.

"We both didn't need to get hurt!"

"Why? Because I love you! That's why! I can't stand to see you get hurt! Because… You mean everything to me… Without you, my life wouldn't be right… I love you…" Yuki confessed without giving his words a second thought.

Danger, stress, pressure, concern… They all have one thing in common. In a way, they could all force secrecy out of someone. Whether those hidden facts were as old as Yuki's feelings or as new as his realization of them, they slipped out in these sorts of situations. The result was something that could never be predicted.

His jaw dropped. That was probably the worst confession ever, and by the look on her face, it was about to get worse. Her eyes were larger than ever before, and the only emotion he could read on her face was shock. There were no traces of joy at hearing him tell her that. Maybe he had heard her incorrectly back in the cave. At the moment, she didn't look like she felt the same way. The most he was hoping for now was that she wouldn't run away and treat him like a stalker for the rest of their lives.

Her heart pounded loudly, almost deafening her. Had she heard him correctly? Did he just confess to her? Neither of them said anything. Both of them were equally surprised by his words. Yuki stared into her deep brown eyes, waiting for her response. He had just revealed his well kept secret to her. Those three words could never be taken back or brushed aside as nothing. The way he had said it made it too obvious that he meant it with all his heart. Yet, all he could feel was regret for telling her as he looked at her startled face. He looked away quickly and pushed himself off of her before he offended her some more. Yuki laid himself down on his back, deciding to break the awkward silence himself.

"I-I'm sorry… Just forget it-"

"I love you too!" Tohru blurted out before Yuki could say any more.

"Wha-what?"

Yuki flipped to face her, his eyebrows knitted together with the skepticism once across her face. She sat up, staring at him with a wide grin upon her face. Along with the smile was a deep blush. She was embarrassed, yet elated at the same time. Yuki lifted his head to examine her face more closely. A part of him knew this was how she felt because of her unconscious reply to his last confession, but he still partially believed that this was too good to be true. Her smile grew as she took his hands in hers. He looked at her hands, before his eyes returned to hers.

"I love you too…" Tohru repeated more calmly this time.

"So… I love you…" Yuki breathed delicately.

"And… I love you..." Tohru finished for him with a gentle smile spreading across her face.

Yuki stared at her, entranced by her words. Acting on the strong emotions he felt, he gently pressed her back down to the laying position she was once in and slowly lowered his elbows, bringing his face closer to hers. She leaned forward, watching the distance between them disappear. His soft silver bangs brushed across her face as their lips touched, hesitantly at first but rapidly grew back to the passion filled kisses they usually shared. What was it about confessions that made them feel that shyness they originally felt when they first met? They broke apart, gazing at each other with matching, love drenched eyes.

They beamed at one another with a new found joy for a moment before joining again in a romance filled chain of what seemed like never ending kisses. Everything seemed perfect, like in fairytales or dreams, but those weren't real. This love was. With just three words, they were that much closer and that much more in love. It didn't seem to matter anymore that their bodies ached all over or that they were out in the open without anything to hide them. For now, none of that bothered them. In that moment, they were the only two people in the world. That one phrase formed a link between them, bonding them together and refusing to break.

He pulled away, still staring into her endless brown eyes. She couldn't take her eyes away from his gentle inviting eyes either. It seemed like they could stay like that forever and never get tired of each other. Too engulfed in the other, neither of the two felt the pair of eyes observing them.

Haru watched them from above, behind a thick tree. He didn't know how to feel. On one-side, he was the protective older brother who didn't want to see his sister get intimate with another man, but on the other hand, he supported their relationship and wanted them to be happy. What was he going to do? Should he approach her or pretend he was never here? Would Tohru or Yuki care if he knew, or would they see him as a potential threat to their relationship? Questions whirled around his head.

After carefully thinking through his choices, he decided to leave them alone. He wouldn't completely ignore this though. Haru wanted to help them be with each other. Secretly, he'd assist them without letting either of them notice. Tohru was already barely getting away with sneaking out –he knew that much. With his help, it'd be a lot easier for her, but Yuki, he wouldn't be able to contribute as much to. Haru wasn't worried though. Yuki had always been clever and witty, let alone strong and quick. He'd be fine on his own; she was the one who needed the help. Before he left he took one last look at the couple and smiled.

"I'm glad that you finally confessed, my old friend…" he said softly.

Nothing more came from his mouth. Haru walked away from there, heading back home. Maybe one day, he'd come to regret this decision, but for now, it seemed like the right choice to make.

--

"Say it again…" her voice begged as the tips of her fingers ran from his earlobe to the bottom of his chin.

"I love you, Tohru…" he answered willingly, bliss glimmering in his eyes.

"Again…"

She ran her fingers across his lips, earning herself a kiss on the pads of her fingers.

"I love you… I love you… I love you. I love you!" he grinned.

Her ears absorbed his words hungrily as she smiled again. She would never get tired of hearing those words. She had craved to hear them for so long, and just from hearing those three words, unexplainable ecstasy raced through her veins. The feeling was indescribable. Those words slipped out of his mouth so smoothly. How he said each word, his tone, and his voice were all filled with love. She could hear it now. She could hear the love that coated every syllable he uttered to her. Never in her life had she heard such perfection in three words. They made the butterflies, that usually fluttered around in her stomach when he was near, dance around in a frenzy that would normally make her feel queasy, but she felt so warm and happy all over.

"I love you too…" she responded.

A spark radiated through his body. It had acted quickly, and after a second, that feeling had passed, but it left him feeling warm and with a need to kiss those lips he had been attached to a minute ago. Surprisingly, one feeling of his overpowered that, his desire to tease her. A wry smile flashed across his face as he began to lower his face towards hers, slowly in an almost torturing manner. He shifted his weight, using his elbows to support him as he extended one hand to her neck. Slipping his fingers behind her neck and running his thumb across the side, he could feel her pulse quicken. He stared at the placement of his hands for a moment, fascinated by the rapid convulsions beneath his fingers. With a flick of his head, his eyes were back to hers.

"I love you more…"

He could see the blush that covered her cheeks double in darkness, and he couldn't fight back the smile that edged its way across his face. She wiggled slightly, looking a bit uncomfortable with him hovering over her body, less than an inch between his torso and hers. Tohru calmed herself down with a quick deep breath and returned her gaze to his, a hint of rebellion deep behind the obvious joy that dominated her eyes at the moment. She placed her hand on his chest, making an attempt to shove him away playfully, but it was a wasted effort. He overpowered her easily and didn't want to move away.

"No…" she started off shakily but finished with a bit more ease, "I love you more…"

Yuki was stunned to hear that from her. He could only stare at her in disbelief for a moment. All the while, she struggled not to look away as her pulse gave away her embarrassment. He smirked slightly, keeping silent for a short while. He moved his other hand to her dark locks that lay sprawled across the grass. Wrapping a strand around his slender forefinger, he looked amused before dropping his hand to the side and focusing on her once again.

"How much do you want to bet?" he asked softly in reference to her previous statement.

Tohru battered her eyelashes innocently for a second, seeming to think through his question, before answering, "My life!"

He was silent, showing her none of his thoughts or even his reaction. Yuki returned to playing with her hair for a minute before he shifted his attention to his other hand that still rested around her neck, noticing that her pulse hadn't slowed down a bit yet. Smiling faintly, his eyes lingered on her face, tempted to dive down for a quick kiss before continuing the conversation, but he held out.

"I hope you're not putting your life on stake for this one… Because, by now, you should know that I love you a lot more than you love me," he replied nonchalantly.

She laughed, or more like giggled, as she tried to argue back but failed miserably. He moved his hands, wrapping his fingers around her wrists. In a quick motion, he had her arms pinned helplessly above her head, holding her there gently. While laughing, she shook her head furiously as an answer.

"Are you going to agree with me now?" he asked in such an enchantingly sweet tone that she almost nodded her head, but she determinedly continued to shake her head. He sighed; he had only partially expected her stubbornness. Yuki smiled at her innocently before he bent his head down. He kept his face less than an inch from hers, letting his warm breath tickle her. She squirmed though he wasn't sure whether it was out of awkwardness or joy. Regardless, he pressed his lips against her collarbone, remaining there until he heard her gasp and felt her make a feeble attempt at escape before he continued leaving a path of kisses up her neck and higher. Right before he reached her rosy cheeks, he lifted his mouth, only long enough to murmur, "How about now?"

Instead of answering with incoherent words, she turned her head towards him and kissed him on the lips. He happily kissed her back, beginning the exchange of kisses once again. Slowly and a bit reluctantly, he released her hands, letting them snake around his neck, pulling him down closer to her body as his hands dug their way behind her back.

Right now, they might as well have been in heaven, for there was no other person or couple who was happier than them. Their love for each other burned so strongly it chased away all the darkness with its bright light. Momentarily, at least, they forget the problem with their relationship and why it couldn't work out and let their love escalate. There was nobody who could put out that flame, no matter what games they played. True love isn't something easily broken, not even in death. At least, that's how it seemed to be with Yuki and Tohru. A love so strong was born inside of their hearts, growing with every passing minute and each second, but along with the joy in love would come the pain and misery all relationships provided…

--

Haru never realized how difficult it would be to help Tohru out. Since Tohru had been able to escape without much trouble for months, he had wrongly assumed that it would be an easy task to help her out a little, but his theory was soon proved wrong. As soon as he got home, he had to get started. The queen was already looking for her. She was glowering around the halls as she shuffled over to the front door, clearly in search of something, and it didn't take him long to conclude that she was looking for his sister.

"Haru!" she barked as soon as her watchful eyes spotted him, "Have you seen Tohru?"

"Oh… I sent her on an errand for me… Why are you looking for her?" he lied calmly, trying not to picture the last scene in which he saw her in.

"I don't think my affairs concern you one bit," she responded in an icy, chilly voice.

Haru shrugged it off, keeping his face expressionless. She didn't seem to notice his slight uneasiness and left the room. The clicking from her high heels dimming out signaled to him her leave. He sighed, filled with relief, "Tohru, you are one lucky girl…"

"What are you talking about?" a small voice questioned him from behind.

"Oh fuck…" he mumbled under his breath.

He covered his eyes in disappointment. He wasn't helping Tohru much if he just blew her secret. How would he explain that to her? Tediously, he turned around to see who had overheard him. Haru instantly relaxed when he saw that it had only been Kisa. His eyes wandered around the empty entranceway for anyone else who could have heard him before he looked back at Kisa. Kisa watched him, patiently waiting for a response. She had heard a bit of his conversation with the queen, but it didn't make too much sense to her.

"Haru-nii? Did you find out something about Onee-chan?" Kisa persisted, "You followed her this morning, right?"

He stood there silently. He was trying to decide whether he should tell her the whole story or an edited version. Haru showed no sign of favoring one option over the other. Kisa was too close to Tohru, she might accidentally say something she wasn't supposed to, but if he didn't tell, Kisa might report his strange behavior to Tohru. With both of them oblivious and confronting him, he wasn't sure if he could keep what he saw a secret. Haru decided telling Kisa was the best choice, even if what he had seen was hardly meant for a child's eyes. He'd put both options together. He would give her the story, but he'd edit out the kissing.

"Not here…" he muttered, grabbing her hand and dragging her to his room.

He locked the door to be safe before he said anything while Kisa sat on his bed, confused by his actions, "Haru-nii, what is it?"

"First promise you won't tell anyone, not even Tohru."

"Har-"

"Just promise," he interrupted her seriously.

She caved in, "Okay… I promise…"

After hearing those words, he took a deep breath and explained to her everything he saw, his decisions and theories. He gave her the clean version of course. He simply said they kissed with no mention of the posture or manner. He couldn't bring himself to tell his youngest sister of such things even if she was thirteen already. She was still a child to him. Kisa just stared at him, unable to understand everything he had just told her.

"S-so she's back with Yuki-nii? Isn't that good? I don't understand why I can't congratulate Onee-chan…"

"Kisa, Oubasan wants Tohru to marry another man…"

"But that has nothing to do with Tohru knowing we know about her and Yuki-nii…"

"That has everything to do with it. Besides, when you talk to Tohru about Yuki, do you think it's going to be easy not to accidentally slip and mention something from the past? And how do you think she'll react when we just suddenly bring the relationship, she's been working so hard to hide from us, up? She'll freak out," Haru explained.

"I'll be careful… We'll have to bring it up sooner or later."

"Careful isn't enough."

Kisa looked at Haru, still not fully convinced. She hadn't spoken about Yuki since the accident. Wasn't that proof enough for her self-control? Kisa pouted, but that didn't change Haru's mind. She let out a sigh and dropped down on his bed. Keeping another secret from Tohru would be difficult. Luckily, Tohru's thoughts were mostly on Yuki lately. She hardly focused on anything but him now, but that had its downfalls. For one, Tohru was less observant of her surroundings, meaning she tripped a lot more than usual.

"If you care about her… and Yuki… You won't say a thing…" he told her.

She nodded reluctantly before adding, "Then let me help you!"

Haru chuckled lightly, agreeing with her plan without a single complaint. He'd need her help at this rate. He was beginning to find it hard to believe that she still hadn't been caught after doing this for months. With her luck and the queen always looking for her, it was a miracle that no one but him and Kisa found out that she snuck out to see Yuki.

--

The next few weeks went by in a flash. Yuki and Tohru had been seeing each other even more often than before. They were inseparable. If not each day, every other day they'd see each other for an hour at the least. They had been together as much as they could, getting more open with their love. The burden of keeping their feelings a secret from one another was lifted, and they felt more at ease. Family and other villagers were another story, but they didn't want to think about that, at least, not today. Autumn was coming to a close, and the frigid winter would soon hinder their meetings. Both of them were too enraptured in one another to even notice where their feet were taking them. They just kept walking straight ahead, vaguely aware that they were even moving. Their minds were focused on each other's words instead of the diminishing trees or the growing sound of the lively market.

"Hey… Isn't that the Prince of Kaze over there?" asked a tall woman, glancing towards the edge of the forest.

"Huh? Where?!" exclaimed a group of overexcited girls.

"Right there… Next to that woman with long brown hair…"

She pointed to the couple in the distance, squinting to get a better look. The other girls looked down the road to where she had gestured at the brim of the forest. One girl's eyes flickered with realization as the couple sauntered nearer.

"Wait! Isn't that Tohru, the Princess of Daichi?" she cried.

They muttered amongst themselves, arguing about whether it was her or not. When the pair neared a girl confirmed it, "It IS them."

Haru's ears perked up with interest. Who knew, on a random stroll of his, he'd need to help Tohru. He strolled over to the girls as casually as possible and tilted his head to the side to get a better look of what they were gawking at. A part of him didn't believe the gossip, but he had to be sure. He didn't want anything drastic to happen. Looking past the thick clumps of people, he caught sight of the couple. His eyes widened incredulously. Never in his life would he have imagined Yuki acting so carelessly. Tohru he could believe would do something of this sort but not the ever so alert and cautious Yuki. He groaned a bit, trying to think a way out of this. He couldn't possibly tell the girls that they were mistaken. No one else in the world had silver hair.

"Damn it… What the hell are you two doing in public?" Haru muttered under his breath.

Everybody watched Tohru's body tremor with laughter as she giggled at something Yuki whispered to her. The smile that was etched across her face could be seen from where Haru was standing. She leaned towards Yuki and slipped her hand into his. He looked down at her and enclosed her hand in his. His lips curved up slightly, in a more subtle smile as he planted a kiss on top of her head sweetly. She paused, stopping her walk. Tohru turned her head up, giving him a look that clearly showed that she wanted more than a simple peck on her hair. Yuki grabbed her other hand and gently pulled her until she was standing directly in front of him. Tohru edged herself up on the tips of her toes, slipping her hands out of his and locking them behind his neck.

Her lips met his with a light touch. They were lost in their own world, blinded by love, completely oblivious to the many pairs of eyes focused on them. Many of the townspeople stood there awed by their intimacy. Even in their past relationship, Yuki and Tohru had always been more discreet about their passion, shyer and less open. It didn't look that way anymore. Haru could spot a twinge of their past reflected in their interaction. The way Yuki held her, the way Tohru's hands gripped his neck tightly, the way their heads would turn to the sides at a specific angle as they kissed, it was all the same as before, not a single change in the way they shared a kiss except maybe this one seemed to be filled with another emotion he couldn't quite identify, but it seemed a bit like hunger.

His arms slithered around her waist, pulling her closer to him, not letting as much as a centimeter distance between them. He kissed her back vigorously. Jealously flashed in the eyes of all the town girls.

"When did they get back together?" demanded an angry woman.

"They haven't… At least, not officially…"

"I heard that _she_ was getting married off to some no name prince."

"And I heard _he_ is supposed to get engaged to some princess this spring."

They broke apart slowly, but Yuki kept his fingers intertwined around her back. He looked down into her wide brown eyes seriously. She stared back at him, cocking her head to the side innocently. She didn't see a reason for him to have such a grave expression across his godlike face. It didn't seem like the right expression after a kiss, but still, he was unbelievably beautiful. She mentally hit herself for admiring him, when he looked so troubled. His jaw was tense, his eyes concentrating so hard that it resembled pain. Tohru lifted her fingers to his cheek, sweeping down his face in a comforting stroke.

"Is something the matter, Yuki-kun?" she asked, pulling away from him slightly.

"I have something to tell you…" he breathed hastily.

"What is it?"

"Please… Don't be mad… Don't get upset…" he begged silently.

"What are you trying to say, Yuki-kun?"

He released her, running his hand through his silver locks in frustration. She could see his face tense up with anxiety. Her eyes remained locked on him, filled with confusion, partially believing that he wanted to stop seeing her. This thought aroused a panic within. She bit her lip nervously. He turned his back to her and looked up at the sky, breathing slowly for a few minutes before relaxing a bit, and facing her again. Yuki didn't want to delay this. He could see how she was getting hurt by his silence and his previous words.

"I don't know how to tell you this… So I'll just say it as it is… First, I want you to know that I really do love you… I love you a lot more than you know," Yuki started hesitantly placing his hand on her shoulder.

Her teeth dug into her bottom lip with more force, trying to prepare herself for whatever he had to say. She took a deep breath and tried to look up at him, but she could only manage to stare at his hand atop her shoulder. Tohru couldn't make herself make eye contact with him. She couldn't, not when she didn't know whether he was going to break up with her or not. She didn't want to hear that, but if that's what he wanted, she wouldn't be able to stop him. His eyes flickered with unease. The tips of his fingers brushed against the bottom of her chin, an attempt to relieve her of some of her distress. It helped a bit, she was able to look at his face now, not his eyes exactly, but it was closer than his hand.

"I'm… I'm a p-pri-"

"Your highness! What are you doing out here?"

Yuki's eyes bulged as soon as he noticed one of his dad's guards standing in front of him, directly behind Tohru. Tohru's eyebrows furrowed with confusion. She pushed herself away from Yuki, peering up at his face before turning around to see who had spoke. At first, she had thought that whoever was talking was referring to her, but by the man's eyes were fixated on Yuki, his eyes gliding right over her head and into Yuki's shocked expression. Yuki's arms dropped from her waist, and Tohru just stared, bewildered, from him to the guard. Was she missing something here?

"I don't understand…" her voice quavered, coated in fear and shock.

She slowly backed away from Yuki, taking slow awkward steps without peeling her eyes off of his face. She stumbled a bit but didn't fall. Her face reminded him of a child in search for a familiar face. Yuki looked at her desperately, ignoring everyone around as he reached out to grab her wrist, but she yanked her arm back before he could stop her. Townspeople started closing in, cutting them off completely, asking trivial questions. Tohru looked at him with a pair of heartbroken eyes for only a moment longer before she spun around and ran as fast as she could away from him. Tears stung her eyes, clouding her vision as they started to flow out of her eyes.

Tohru wasn't sure what compelled her to run away from him, but something inside of her was hurt, and it was hurt badly. The pain squeezed at her heart and crushed her lungs until she could hardly breathe. She struggled to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat unsuccessfully. She felt betrayed, beyond betrayed. She wasn't sure how well she knew him anymore. Before today, she was sure she knew everything about him, all his likes, dislikes, hobbies… It only occurred to her now that she didn't even know his last name. She faltered, tempted to turn around and go back to him, but she continued, convinced that the person behind her was a complete stranger, a liar who didn't love her at all. She wasn't even sure if his real name was 'Yuki' anymore, but apparently, he was some sort of royalty. She grimaced, any other day she would have been delighted to hear that.

"Tohru! WAIT! Tohru!!" Yuki cried in vain.

She heard him call her numerous times, but she didn't listen or stop. His calls just made her run faster in a random direction into the forest. She just wanted to get as far away from him as she could. The trees hid her perfectly, but before she was gone, he noticed the gleaming tears that were trailing behind her.

"Yuki! You don't need _her_!"

"_I'm_ prettier!"

"YUKI! Yuki!"

His large fan club surrounded him in a tight barrier, whining and keeping him from getting to Tohru. None of them bothered to even be polite and respectful though he didn't notice. He stretched his neck to look over their heads, making a feeble attempt to locate Tohru.

"Excuse me…" he muttered anxiously trying to shove his way past them.

No one would budge, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, but by the time this crowd disappeared, Tohru would be long gone, and he doubted she would answer him if he tried to call her. He contemplated being rude and inconsiderate and just shove past everyone, he knew he could break through if he did that, but if he did, he could think of more than one person who would be infuriated by his actions. First off, the townspeople would be offended, his mother would punish him for his rudeness, Tohru, if she ever forgave him long enough for him to talk, would be disappointed in such vulgar behavior as well, and he was sure if he had been thinking clearly, he would have come up with more, but his mind lingered on Tohru. He had convinced himself by now that the anger anyone else felt didn't matter anymore. He just wanted to catch Tohru before she cried anymore.  
"Move it…" a low voice growled.

The barricade of people that once surrounded him quickly moved away from Yuki. Yuki was shocked to hear that it wasn't him who had spoken, but he was too focused on catching Tohru that he didn't care; he couldn't, not at the moment. He briefly glanced over his shoulder at the white haired man who was glaring at the townspeople. Yuki's instincts took over, and without thinking about who this man was or anything else for that matter, he darted away from there as fast as his legs could withstand. Without a look back, he called, "Thanks Haru!"

"Hmm… So he remembers my name…" Haru mused, standing there in shock.

Yuki disappeared into the depths of the forest, running faster than he had before. He raced ahead swiftly, looking around for any signs of Tohru.

"Tohru! Where are you?! Tohru!" he shouted loudly.

He kept going deeper into the forest, desperate to locate Tohru. He wasn't ready to lose her; he wasn't ready to move on with his life. His life revolved around her now. He needed her. Yuki spotted her brunette hair in the distance, still making an inadequate attempt to get away from him. He was a lot faster than she was. Yuki sped up, closing in on her. She could hear his quick breaths now, and that just made her want to go faster though she knew she wouldn't be able to get away.

"Tohru! Wait! Let me explain!" he yelled after her.

She ignored his pleas tiredly, trying to continue running. Her dress kept getting entangled with her legs. Twigs snagged the hem of her dress, tearing the bottom to her mid thigh. Tohru was too hurt to be embarrassed or to even look down at the rip. She didn't want to listen to him. She knew how gullible she was; she knew she'd believe anything he said with all of her heart even if he told her the most obvious lie, but she didn't want to.

She was weak. She couldn't keep herself from turning around. If she was going to stay away from him for the rest of her life, she wanted to see his perfect face just one last time, to burn it into her memory. Regardless of how upset she was, she still loved him, but looking back at his pleading face had been her first mistake. Her knees suddenly felt weak and shaky as soon as her eyes connected with his. It was a brief moment, hardly a second, before she looked away, but she couldn't manage to go on. Her whole body resisted any more distance between her and the one she wanted to see.

Tohru staggered, her heel stepping onto a stone. Suddenly, one of her feet wasn't touching the ground anymore. She flailed her arms around, trying to keep her balance upright. She couldn't fall, not now! She wouldn't be able to escape him if she did, but gravity wasn't on her side and continued to pull her downwards. Yuki gasped silently, urging his legs to go faster. He reached for her and grabbed her arm right before she hit the ground. He pulled her up into his arms in a one-sided embrace. She was sobbing hysterically at this point, trying to push him away, but he held on tightly. Her hands formed fists, pounding rapidly against his chest, but his grip didn't loosen. He just tightened his hold in attempt to calm her down.

"Let go! Let go!!" she shrieked.

Her fists remained clenched against his chest, but she had stopped hitting him at least. She knew there was no point in hitting him; it was a wasted effort. Why did his arms still feel so comforting when she was so angry at him? Tears continued to soak through his shirt. Her cries eased slightly after a few minutes. He let go of her abruptly, but he clasped both of his hands on her fragile shoulders to keep her from running from him. Yuki crouched down so he was looking up directly into her eyes. Tohru jerked her head to the side, refusing to look at him, but she didn't try to get away.

"Tohru, look at me… Please…" he begged her,

She sniffled, not replying. She was afraid of how her voice would sound. His lips curved downwards, a look of pain crossing his face. Gingerly, he placed on hand under her chin, turning her head until she was facing him. Tohru stared at him, tears struggling to burst as she made an attempt to glare or at least look remotely angry, but she didn't manage either of those expressions. She just looked forlorn.

"Listen to me, please…" he continued in a soft voice.

"Y-you lied to m-e…" she wept, her voice cracking in the middle.

He cringed at the pained sound. This was worse than he had expected. He should have told her. He should have told her a long time ago before she put this much trust in him. He could tell all her faith in him was broken, broken by something she didn't understand, something he hadn't told her about. It hurt her, stabbing at her heart repeatedly. It wasn't fair. She told him everything, and now, she was beginning to realize that the man she was in love with was practically a stranger to her.

"Tohru…" he breathed.

"E-everything w-was all li-lies!" she sobbed bitterly.

"No… That's not true at all…" he denied.

"Y-you d-don't love m-me!!" she continued.

Tears streamed down her cheeks now. She covered her face with both of her hands, not wanting him to see her cry anymore. He winced, the pain she felt surging through his body almost as if their bodies were linked. Yuki covered her wrists with his hands, prying them off of her face. She wasn't strong enough to keep her hands over her face. She kept her eyes shut though, straining to stay strong. Slightly exasperated, Yuki put a hand on either side of her face. His thumbs ran across her eyelids, coaxing her to open her eyes. Her lip quivered as she looked at him.

"I do love you!" he practically yelled.

For a moment, her heart froze, and her breathing stopped. Her heart trembled with joy, obviously believing him, but her brain disagreed. Her mind reminded her of trust, the supposed foundation of a relationship. The fact that he didn't trust her enough to tell her of his status or even his full name made his low faith in her painfully clear, or so she thought. Another reason, a reason she didn't know herself, made it impossible for her to believe him. A small part of her had been searching for some flaw in their relationship. That section of her refused to believe that there really was a guy like Yuki out there and had been waiting for him to slip and make a mistake to prove that he was human too and not some supernatural being. She shook her head weakly, and she went back to staring at the floor. His hands dropped from her face. Yuki stood up and placed his forefinger and thumb under her chin, raising it until she was looking into his eyes.

"I do love you," he repeated a bit more softly.

"Th-then why… Why d-didn't you t-tell me?" she choked out shakily.

"I… I wanted to… It just never seemed like the right time. And… I was trying to tell you earlier… I know that doesn't make it any better… But…" he struggled to explain it to her.

"We've been together so long… Why couldn't you just tell me? Do you not trust me?" she whispered, barely able to find her voice.

"No, of course I trust you. I just didn't want you to leave me…" he admitted.

"Why would I leave you?"

"Tohru, don't you understand? Even thinking about losing you breaks my heart into millions of pieces. I love you more than anything else, Tohru Honda… Everything I have ever told you was true. All of it… Please believe me… Please…I need you to forgive me… I need you to stay with me…"

She gazed up at him. Something about his words and the way he had said them made her forgive him, and she believed what he had just said with all of her heart, but she was sure it wasn't just because she was rather credulous. A faint smile grew on her face as she shed one last tear, the pain easing away. Yuki held her cheek in his hand, wiping away her tear with his thumb. She threw her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as she could. He stood there surprised for a second before wrapping his arms around her. Yuki pressed his face into her hair, amazed at her ability to forgive him.

"I… I love you too…" she murmured to him delicately.

"…I was so scared that I was going to lose you…" Yuki murmured.

"No more… No more secrets, okay?"

"No more… I promise…"

Slowly, he reintroduced himself to her, using his title, his full name, and stating the country he was from. He even held out his hand to her and shook hers, an action that would have made her laugh under normal circumstances. He dropped her hand and began pacing around as he started to tell her his story. She stood there, a few feet away from him, listening intently. He explained to her everything about himself, and he briefly touched upon his family. He didn't look back at her until he was done. Tohru shivered and glided over into his arms when he stopped walking back and forth. Now, she realized exactly how forbidden they were. At that thought, she squeezed him tighter, digging her face into his shirt. The two of them were silent for a few minutes, thinking through what had happened today.

"…I lied… I have one more secret…" he broke the silence with a whisper.

Tohru glanced up at him, expecting him to explain, but he just ran his fingers through her long silky strands, pausing before he continued, "I think it's better to put it off for now…"

"Yu-"

He interrupted her, placing his finger over her lips, "It's not a bad thing… I promise… I just don't understand it, but you'll know soon enough… Can you trust me with this?"

Tohru lifted her face, tilting her head upwards to study his face. She bit her lip, trying to figure out if she could really trust him. She wasn't sure, not when her faith in him had completely disappeared several minutes ago, but she couldn't say 'no' to him. She'd be lying then. It was hard not to trust Yuki when her heart seemed to have complete faith in him. She nodded her head slowly. Forgiving him wouldn't be a problem. She already had. Grudges weren't something she took pleasure in holding, and a grudge against Yuki wasn't something she could even dream about holding. Regaining that high level of trust would take a bit of time though.

"Then… C-can you please… k-kiss me?" she stammered embarrassedly.

She faced his shirt, not wanting to show him her bright pink cheeks. Tohru couldn't believe she had actually said that out loud, but she couldn't deny her want for a kiss. He blinked at her incredulously before he smiled, sliding his hand down to her chin again so he could lift her face upwards. She shut her eyes, letting the distance between their faces diminish, but she didn't get what she expected. Yuki tormented her with a sly grin, kissing everywhere on her face and neck but her mouth. Tohru gaped for a moment before she covered his mouth with her hands and gently pushed his face to the side, catching her breath shyly.

"Yu-Yuki…"

"What is it? Is that not what you wanted?" he asked her seriously before laughing.

"No… It wasn't… More like this…" she murmured, bringing her lips to his and tenderly pressing her mouth to his.

He let his hands get lost in her thick mop of hair as he sweetly kissed her back. Intimately, she continued the kiss, letting her hands slither their way up to his neck. She had been wrong. He had her complete trust again. It wouldn't be right to hold this against him. She'd be a hypocrite. She had never directly told him she was a princess either, so why did she expect him to? Sure, he had seen her home, and she had never made an attempt to justify or explain that, but he left her clues too, less obvious clues but hints nonetheless. First off, there was his princely manner, she felt silly for not seeing the connection earlier, there was his lack of concern for money, no commoner would be so careless with cash, and there were certainly more, but her brain refused to think when it could be focusing on his lips, which were still caressing hers, instead.

Love acted in mysterious ways. One minute, she had completely detested him, and now, she was in love with him all over again. Love was almost like glue (but much stronger), attaching her to him and not willing to let them part, no matter what tore at them.

"I'll never let you go…" he breathed against her lips.

Tohru gazed up at him, a smile edging onto her face. Those words sounded perfect to her. She didn't want him to let go of her, not ever. She wanted him to keep that promise and keep her in his arms for all of eternity, but it only took her a second to realize what a stupid request that was. More idiotic now that she knew how forbidden their relationship was. Still, none of that stopped her from wishing he would follow through with his promise. She needed him. She needed him in her life. Why couldn't anyone but him see that?

"Even if you run, I'll chase… If you hide, I'll look… You can call me obsessed, but my love will never let you leave…" he breathed to her.

"Then I hope you don't get tired of me…"

"Never…"

His words lingered in her ear, and suddenly, she got chills that raced down her spine. She shuddered and pressed herself against his body.

--

Kisa sat cross-legged on top of her bed before a now silent Haru. He had been talking nonstop for almost half an hour now. Haru had been filling her in on the scene he had walked upon in the market, but he paused, right after he told her that Yuki ran off. She frowned, obviously not pleased. The story was at its climax, now was not the time to stop, but he didn't continue or even look up at her. Slightly impatient and eager to hear the ending, she tapped the top of his lowered head, getting his attention quickly. His eyes flashed to hers in a questioning manner.

"Haru-nii, what happened after that?"

"Well since Tohru isn't back yet, I'm guessing they either made up or killed each other," Haru concluded with a teasing smile.

Kisa raised her eyebrows at him worriedly, honestly believing his latter possibility. He flashed her a grin, letting her know that he had been kidding and went on, "So do you want to hear what I did after?"

"Okay… What did you do?"

"Well, you see… My job at the moment was to keep the townspeople from reporting Tohru and Yuki… So I threatened them… They willing agreed to stay quiet after that," he said with a smirk.

"Haru! That was hardly nice!"

Haru snickered for a minute before all seriousness returned to his face, "But… You know that guard I told you about who saw Yuki and Tohru?" he waited for her to nod, "He disappeared. I didn't even get to talk to him…"

She stared at him, now fretful. That could ruin everything in seconds. Her breathing stopped completely for a moment, until Haru patted her arm with a grim expression. He was just as worried as she was, but he didn't want Kisa to suffocate over this. He didn't want to lose both of his sisters because of a single guard. His lips turned down as he found himself thinking about the guard again. He wanted to storm into Yuki's home and kill that guard before he could report a thing, but unfortunately, a castle was filled with more guards than he could take on at once. The only thing he would have gotten from storming into the palace of Kaze was his own death, not something he wanted exactly.

--

Not too far away, Yuki's father, the King of Kaze, sat on top of his golden throne in a darkened room lit only by a small circular window above his head. Before him stood a guard, the guard that had spotted Yuki in town with Tohru. His head was lowered in a slight bow while the king drummed his fingers across the handle of the elaborate seat he was in. His other hand supported his chin as he listened to the guard ramble on, sighing every now and then. He was obviously not interested in this conversation.

"Is that all?" he demanded as soon as the guard stopped speaking.

"Your highness! Your son, your heir, and that _girl_ are seeing each other behind your back!"

"I heard you the first time…"

"Aren't you going to… you know?"

The king just stared at him blankly, "No I don't know…"

"Punish him?"

The king sighed once more. He raised his hand, extending his palm to the guard to keep him from repeating the story. The king closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with both of his hands for a perfectly still moment before his eyes warily slid open again. He knew his wife would be angry if she heard this, but strangely, he wasn't. He was almost delighted to have heard that, almost but not quite. He'd never admit it to anyone, but he wanted Yuki to marry Machi as much as Yuki did. He was still a father, and he naturally wanted his son to be happy, but the queen had made her desires clear. There was no chance in getting her to stop resenting Tohru and her family regardless of Yuki's complete adoration of the brunette.

"Am I the king here or are you? Yuki is my son… I'll deal with him _my _way, and I'll let him have his fun while it lasts…"

The guard stood there, completely dumbfounded and almost disappointed that he hadn't gotten an ounce of praise. His whole reason for telling the king was for a reward, a promotion, something beneficial, but here he stood with nothing in his hands. This had been more than a letdown for him, and he didn't bother to hide the frown that had formed across his face. The king ignored the guard's bitter attitude and went on, "So we'll both pretend you never saw that, got it?"

"Yes sir!" he nodded and bowed again before leaving the room. The king sat there in silence, pondering over his decision in attempt to figure out if he had made the right choice or not. He sighed once again. There was nothing more he could do to help Yuki. He might as well let Yuki make some more pleasant memories with Tohru before he had to marry Machi. That was the least he could do, and that's what he would have wanted from someone if he was in Yuki's position.

--

Reluctantly, Yuki released her hand. As soon as he did, Tohru clenched her hands into fists to keep herself from grabbing his hands again. She looked up at him with a small smile, knowing all too well that smiling was the last thing she felt like doing at the moment. She didn't want to look happy, not when she was saying goodbye to him. The farewell wasn't permanent, but it still had the toll of a departure nonetheless. There was no need to make this parting anymore difficult with frowns though. The same halfhearted smile was across his face as well.

"Do you have to go?" he whispered even though he knew the answer.

She looked down and nodded, adding quietly, "I don't want to…"

"Okay then… Don't," he said simply with a smile.

"Yuki! I- I have to…"

"I know… But one day, I'll make it so that you won't ever have to leave my side… That is… If you want to stay with me," he vowed, grasping both of her hands again.

"But- But… Our families…" she trailed off. Tohru looked away. She didn't want to worry about their families after he had said something like that. Her heart ached to believe that, but she knew better than to get her hopes up too high. For any other couple, his words would have been easy to follow through with but not for them. His request was practically absurd, but both of them wanted a future together, but at the moment, it just seemed impossible.

"Our families don't matter, and I don't care. I don't care what they think or what anyone else thinks for the matter… Because… I love you… That's all that matters… No matter what they try to do… Will you promise not to give up on me? It doesn't matter how hard it'll be for us… I'll keep trying as long as you can promise me that… And as long as you want to," Yuki told her.

"I promise! I want to! I won't give up!" she exclaimed determinedly.

Yuki took a quick glance at her home, making sure that nobody had been watching or listening. They shouldn't have been that close to her castle, he knew that, but he just couldn't bring himself to leave or even let her go. He gave her his complete attention, taking her hands in his hands again.

"One day… I promise… We won't have to keep this a secret anymore… And when that day comes, you'll be mine, only mine… Like I'll be only yours."

"You're wrong," she stated firmly, staring at the ground.

He gave her a confused look. She beamed, a lot more earnestly now. Her smile hinted at her knowing something he didn't, but her mouth didn't open to explain. A bit irked at her silence, he moved his hands to her chin. Yuki pushed her chin down slightly, opening her mouth for her impatiently. Tohru hesitated, not sure if she could finish what she had started, but the look he gave her convinced her to go on. His eyes, hiding under his eyelashes, shimmered with agony as they pleaded her to go on. No one could resist that look unless, of course, if they were blind.

"Because… I'm already only yours…" she finished with a shy smile.

"And I'll never belong to anyone but you… But until that day comes, –when everyone else knows- we can only wait… So please be patient with me…"

"I'll wait forever if it means I can be with you," she murmured.

He enclosed her small frame in his arms, stroking her back as he whispered, "I'm sorry it has to be like this…"

"I don't mind… Just as long as I get to see you…" she admitted bashfully.

He was silent for a moment. All he could do was squeeze her tightly, pressing his face into her dark hair, "I don't deserve you… How can you forgive me for _that_? How can you so easily trust me again?"

Tohru smiled into his chest, and looked up, "Because I love you."

He pulled away from her and stared at her before crushing her to his body in another constricting embrace. Tohru stood there with a smile across her face. She would have hugged him back; she would have if his arms hadn't locked hers at her sides, but she was satisfied with the one-sided embrace. His words sounded somewhat ridiculous to her now. Her whole running away from him and crying was just silly now that she thought about it. It wasn't like he had kept his status from her with an intention of hurting her trust. It was wrong of her to doubt his love. She could see the effect her words had had on him, and it pained her to know that she had hurt him.

"Like I said… I don't deserve you…"

His hold loosened enough for her to be able to move but not much more than that. She faced him and let their lips lock for a moment before she bid him farewell. After a deep breath, she turned around and left. He stood there, watching her go with his hands partially extended as if he was reaching out to stop her. The ache from seeing her run from him before came flooding back, stabbing at him painfully.

"She's not leaving you… Not now at least…" he reassured himself.

He couldn't help but wonder if this had hurt her that badly, what she would do if she found out about their past. The past wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but the fact he was keeping it from her could be, and none of that put together could add up to match the pain she'd feel if she ever found out about Machi. He cursed under his breath. He had another secret, and he had told her he only had one 'good' secret. He couldn't blame her if she hated him for that.

It killed him to even think about this faceless, unknown person whom he had to marry come spring. Maybe he had forgotten to mention this secret because he refused to think about it in general. He sighed. Was there any solution to fix this, any way to get out of his engagement? There had to be. The real question was if he'd find it in time. If worse came to worse, he decided he'd run away with Tohru. He'd take her somewhere far away, somewhere where nobody knew who they were or even cared. There they could be themselves, free to love each other. He'd find such a place and take her there. He'd spend all of his nights locating such a place, as long as she'd be willing to go.

Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind of all the thoughts of their shaky future. There'd be no benefit gained from focusing on all the "what ifs". Right now, he should be thinking of the present, on the things that'd please her because he wasn't sure if he'd be able to anymore in the future…


	24. Addiction

Yuki hadn't even opened his eyes yet when Ayame burst through his door and grabbed his hand, dragging him out of his bed before he could protest. He was about to punch Ayame in the head and go back to sleep, but before he could lift his hand, he ran into the door frame. Lying there on the floor, he contemplated just staying there and going back to sleep, but Ayame tugged him up before he could drift back to dreamland. He stumbled along sleepily, barely making it down the hallway without hitting every object in sight. Yuki was vaguely aware that Ayame was speaking (more to himself than to Yuki), but he was too tired to concentrate and listen to Ayame's babbling.

"What do you want?" Yuki finally muttered.

"The news I have yet to tell you is too extraordinary to be revealed out here! You absolutely must follow me to somewhere private!" Ayame urged.

"What are you going to do? Rape me?"

"Your accusations hurt me dearly Yuki…Trust is the key to every situation!" Ayame exclaimed with his usual overconfidence.

"Fine… I'll go… whatever… but if this is something stupid, I won't regret killing you…" Yuki mumbled.

"Right this way!" Ayame sang as he danced down the carpeted hallway.

Yuki was slowly dragged along, though he refused to skip and prance around like Ayame was. First of all, he was too tired to do anything that required that much energy, and secondly, it just looked plain stupid, not to mention that his head hurt. Yuki watched Ayame for a minute, amused at first, but that feeling quickly changed to disgrace. He shook his head, unable to keep looking at this fully grown man act like a toddler. Yuki smirked slightly, praying that Ayame would trip and fall, but to his disappointment, Ayame didn't even falter.

"Time will not last forever! Hurry up Yuki!" Ayame ushered as he increased his speed.

Yuki rolled his barely opened eyes with great effort, a little curious now to see what Ayame had to say or show him, whichever it was. He had already forgotten the exact reason why he was following his idiotic brother. If this was some sort of joke, there was no telling what he'd do –after a nap that is. At some point, Ayame had abandoned Yuki out of impatience and was now standing at his door, tapping his foot impatiently. Yuki closed his eyes, trying not to fall asleep as he continued to walk over. Ayame yanked Yuki inside the moment he was within reach and closed the doors.

"You know, I was kidding about the rape thing. I'm not into guys… or brothers for that matter," Yuki said in a flat voice, staring at Ayame incredulously.

Ayame didn't respond. Instead, he took both of Yuki's shoulders and turned him around, breathing, "Look…"

In front of him stood a wood mannequin with a soft pink kimono draped over it. Yuki's sleepy eyes and brain couldn't recognize the purple orchids embroidered along the fabric. The only thing he knew was that it was a girl's outfit and Ayame had roused him out of bed to look at it. It didn't make sense to him. The only conclusion his half-conscious mind could conjure up was that Ayame had a new hobby of cross-dressing, and he was going to make him be his model. He grimaced and lifted his hand, pointing at it and wrinkling his nose in disgust, "You're not going to make me wear that, are you?"

"Take a closer look…" Ayame told him, giving him a slight shove.

Yuki sighed and reluctantly walked across the room. He was going to say something about how stupid this little journey was, but when he was just a couple of feet away from the mannequin, his words stopped in his throat. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what stood before him. The gentle pink silk with the delicate violet orchid print dotting the frame of the kimono, there was no doubt in his mind that this was the fabric he had bought a few days ago. A perfectly matched purple cloth ran across the middle, sealed with a loose bow in the back. Unbelievable, he had never admired Ayame for his tailoring skills before, but he did now. Gingerly, he touched it with great caution. It was perfect. Tohru would look stunning in this.

"What do you think?" Ayame asked, popping up next to him.

"It's beautiful," Yuki complimented honestly.

His fingers traced the largest amethyst orchid near the middle of the kimono with the tips of his fingers. He couldn't peel his eyes away from the garment. It was gorgeous, almost as pretty as he thought Tohru was. Nothing could compare to how beautiful Tohru was to him. She was the most beautiful thing in the world in his eyes even though she didn't think so. Didn't she realize how attractive she was? Sometimes he wished she could see herself through his eyes. Surely then, she wouldn't keep denying it when he told her how adorable and lovely she was.

"Take it… Give it to her… It'll fit no other better…"

"How do you know-?"

"I am your brother and a tailor. Of course, I'd be the one who made the wedding dress Tohru-kun would have worn when…" Ayame trailed off.

Yuki tilted his head to the side, gazing at Ayame with interest. The past didn't anger and upset him as much as it used to. It was more interesting to him now than anything else, and he was eager to hear more about it in attempt to resurface his own memories, but nobody would agree to tell him more about his and Tohru's past. He had the general story down in his head but without details. No matter how hard he tried, nothing would come back to him. All he ever got was a headache in return, and he didn't exactly enjoy having a throbbing head. By the look of Ayame's face, Yuki could tell that he wouldn't elaborate.

"It's okay… The past doesn't bother me anymore… But thank you… Thank you Nissan… I don't know how to repay you…"

"Payment is not something you should trouble yourself with. I just wanted it to be done in time for your birthday," Ayame replied.

"My birthday?"

Yuki stood there, signs of shock plastered all over his face. It only occurred to him that his birthday was around the corner now. It was hardly two weeks away. He was going to turn eighteen, an adult, but that didn't mean he'd be treated as one. He wouldn't be able to move out of this stupid, confining palace or do anything different from last year. All that'd happen was that he'd receive clothes he'd never wear and other things he'd never use. His closet was full of old, useless birthday gifts that his mother refused to let him toss out. Maybe that's why he didn't really look forward to –or even remember- his birthdays like a normal teenager. Besides, he couldn't recollect much about his numerous birthdays anyways, probably because he used to spend them with Tohru, and he couldn't remember her.

Ayame carefully took the kimono off the mannequin, folding it neatly. He handed it to Yuki who grasped onto it delicately.

"Yuki, I'm aware that you want to spend as much time as you can with Tohru-kun, but you must attend your birthday ball. Mother will be terribly upset if you don't attend your own birthday party."

"… I don't want to attend a stupid dance… I don't really care that it's my birthday or about the presents and party… I'm not going…"

"Why not? You used to love going to the dance with Tohru-kun…"

Ayame froze, hesitantly watching Yuki for any signs of a break down, but he saw nothing. Yuki lifted his eyebrows nonchalantly, hoping to hear more, but Ayame didn't tell him anything else. Ayame peered at Yuki for a moment curiously before he finally understood what the silence was for. He shook his head at Yuki and pretended to zip his mouth shut and tossed out the imaginary key. Yuki frowned and rolled his eyes at Ayame's childish gesture. Yuki could see no point in Ayame trying to do what he was supposed to have done and keep Yuki's past from him after he had told him about it already.

"Well that's nice… But apparently our families are enemies now, and no one knows about my relationship with Tohru… So that doesn't really convince me to not skip the dance since she can't come…"

"Ah… But that's where you are wrong. Tohru-kun and her family are invited along with every other royal family mother is acquainted with."

Yuki's eyes lit up temporarily until he realized there would be some sort of catch, some flaw, in what Ayame had pointed out. Nothing was that easy for him. Every time he wanted to see her, he had to sneak out; he had to plan for hours sometimes to be sure that nobody ever caught him. There was no way it would be this simple. It sounded too easy to him. Just giving her this kimono and waiting for her didn't sound complicated enough. God didn't like him enough to make seeing her **that** easy. Maybe he was going crazy, but his mind raced around, searching for that problem that would make seeing her at his birthday party painstakingly difficult. He almost found himself smiling when he found it, a difficulty.

Yuki groaned, "There'll be thousands of people there. By the time I find Tohru, the dance will be over since this is going to be a masquerade ball, isn't it?"

"Well yes… Mother is quite fond of masks and dancing… I'm surprised you remember seeing as you hardly attend any of her dances anymore, but that is why I felt a need to finish this before the dance," Ayame gestured to the kimono, "If Tohru wears this, you'll be able to find her right away!"

Yuki felt a light shade of pink spread across his face, not sure what to say. He couldn't believe what a perfect opportunity this was. It didn't matter that it seemed too easy to him anymore. He was too delighted to think about the faults with this plan. He could only focus on the positive aspects. With a mask across Tohru's face, no one would know who he was talking to. A mask wouldn't help conceal his identity since his hair was rather unique. Besides, he wasn't one who enjoyed having something clinging to his face. Nonetheless, no one would know who the Prince of Kaze was talking to at least.

"Why is Tohru invited though? I thought out families hated each other…"

"Wondrous question though I myself am not sure of the answer. I believe it would be because of tradition, seeing as Tohru-kun has always been invited, or your birthday was seen as an opportunity to brag and show off," Ayame guessed.

"Bragging and showing off sound more like things **you'd** do."

"Ah-ha… What a humor you possess Yuki… But bragging and showing off are hobbies of mother. She desires to make Tohru-kun's family as jealous as she can of this castle…" Ayame nodded.

Yuki's head lowered in disgrace. How predictable of his parents, never doing a thing that wouldn't benefit themselves in some way. He hated them. This theory of Ayame's made Yuki feel more ashamed to be their son than he usually was. How could two people be so conceited and selfish? He shuddered slightly at the thought of them. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure that he wanted Tohru to come to his party anymore. If she came to his house that meant she'd have to meet his parents, or at least hear how rude they were from his mother's opening speech. She'd surely want nothing to do with someone who had parents who were as inconsiderate as his were.

"But it's still the perfect opportunity! With a little effort, you can make it seem like it's their fault that you fell in love with another…" Ayame continued mischievously.

"How so?" Yuki asked curiously.

"Well… This is basically a matchmaking ball, is it not? Nobody is supposed to know who's who… So why not make it seem like you met each other on that day and felt a sudden spark?! Whose fault could it be except for the planners of this dance?"

Yuki thought through Ayame's newest plan for a moment. It didn't seem entirely impossible to him, improbable, but not impossible. Maybe there was a slither of a chance that it'd work. If it did, Tohru and he could be together without sneaking out every other night… But what if nobody believed them? Everything could be ruined then. It was worth a shot though. Everybody would find out sooner or later anyways. What's the worst that could happen? They'd be torn apart, and he'd be locked up for the rest of his life? That'd probably happen sooner or later anyways.

"That just may work Niisan…" Yuki smiled faintly.

"But of course! Now go hide that kimono somewhere safe before anyone sees it and remembers it! My duty now will be to complete your outfit and to construct her the most beautiful mask that will conceal her identity from all eyes perfectly!" Ayame exclaimed excitedly.

Yuki gave Ayame one more look of gratitude before he left and ran out the door and over to his room. He was eager to discuss this over with Tohru. She would be just as happy as he was –if that was even possible- if they could be together formally, right? Gracefully he had made it inside without drawing anybody's attention. Yuki frowned, resisting the urge to call Tohru right away, and glanced around his room, looking for a secure place to store the kimono. No spot in his room looked safe from the maids. It looked like he'd have to give it to Tohru as soon as he could. Letting the dress unfold on his bed, Yuki couldn't help but grin.

She'd be ecstatic to get this. He could already imagine the look on her face. She'd look like an angel. He took another look around his room before settling on a spot to hide it. Carefully, he wrapped the kimono in one of his clean shirts to keep it from getting dirty. He tied the bundle and dropped it inside a tall vase. Yuki decided he'd just break the vase when the time came. He grinned to himself as he dug out his phone from the back of his drawer and dialed Tohru's phone number, only to be greeted by her cheerful voice mail. The smile left as quickly as it had come.

---

"A birthday, masquerade dance? How exciting!" Tohru cried cheerfully.

"Yep, and we're invited according to this letter," Haru added.

Tohru and Kisa were standing behind Haru, trying to read the letter over his shoulder – from under his shoulder in Kisa's case. Growing impatient with the little progress she was having at reading the letter, Tohru leaned over and snatched the letter from Haru with an excited smile. She stole across the room before either of them could take it from her. She felt giddy at just seeing the oddly familiar invitation. Tohru wasn't even sure why she was this excited over a dance. She had gone to many dances before, but this one filled her to the brim with joy for some reason.

"This is your first time attending a dance, right Kisa?" Haru turned towards his other sister, deciding to give Tohru time to discover it was a dance for Yuki on her own.

Kisa nodded vigorously, "Oubasan said I was too young before! But Onee-chan has been going to dances since she was younger than me…"

"Well that's because she had Yu-" Haru stopped in the middle of his sentence.

Tohru was too focused on the letter before her to hear them. She had the invitation gripped tightly in her hands and was currently skimming over the fancy calligraphy from a chair across the room from them. Haru and Kisa watched her read intently for a moment before letting out breaths of relief. She hadn't heard Haru almost say Yuki's name, but she did hear their relieved sighs.

"What?" Tohru asked, blinking a few times at them.

"Nothing… Um… Who's the birthday party for?" Kisa asked, changing the topic nervously to distract Tohru.

Tohru's eyes lit up as she rescanned the letter for the person the party was for. She froze when she saw Yuki's name written at the top. Yuki. This party was for her Yuki. She was going to go to Yuki's party with her family. Her jaw dropped as the letter slipped out of her hands. Tohru didn't know which emotion was overpowering the other, her joy that she had an easy opportunity to see Yuki right in her hands, or her anxiety over the fact that her family would be there too. She was stuck in that position for a short moment, in complete shock before she scrambled out of her seat and grabbed the letter, pressing it to her chest frantically.

"Umm… The party is for… Prince Yuki Sohma of Kaze…" Tohru stuttered nervously in a shaky voice. Her body trembled, and she could feel her heart race, trying to jump up her throat and out of her mouth. Her stomach squeezed itself together, leaving her nauseous as her lungs ceased to work. No breaths left her mouth as she stared at Haru and Kisa, waiting for their reaction. The seconds crawled on tediously to the point when she was beginning to feel like she had been standing there for a century. Finally, she saw movement. The corner of Haru's mouth twitched, fighting a smile.

"Oh right… He always has some sort of dance as a party," Haru mused.

Her stomach gently eased itself out of its twisted posture, her lungs sputtered back to life, and her heart slowed down to normal rate. The worst part was over now. At least, she could see that Haru and Kisa didn't really hate Yuki or at least they didn't outright curse and yell when they heard that this party was for him. That was enough to reassure her. Tohru forced a smile onto her face as Kisa began to happily talk about the dance, but Tohru wasn't listening. Her mind was elsewhere completely, thinking about Yuki and his birthday in general more so than the party.

---

A week later, she was still flustered about the dance. She was too scared to check her cell phone for any messages from Yuki in case he wanted to tell her that the invitation was an accident and that she wasn't really invited. It was his birthday party. She was going to go to his home. She was excited and worried at the same time. What was she going to do? Did he even know she was coming? What was she even going to get him? She couldn't come up with a single thing that a prince didn't have, and yet, she wanted it to be a gift he would love and keep forever. Before she found a single answer to her questions, Kisa darted into her room.

"Onee-chan! Someone is here to see you!" she announced, standing by the doorway.

"Eh? Who is it?"

Tohru glanced at Kisa with a somewhat dazed look, the same look she had worn across her face for the past week. She hadn't been able to focus on anything but Yuki and his birthday since she had seen the invitation. Tohru wasn't even completely sure why she was reacting this way over a silly party. It was just a party. It wouldn't be the end of the world if he really didn't want her to go. Just because he never told her about it didn't mean he didn't love her. It could have slipped his mind. Besides, Yuki didn't seem like a person who enjoyed parties and social gatherings focused around him. Still, she couldn't convince herself that everything would be alright, nor could she get herself to call him and confirm or disprove her worries.

"I don't know… Somebody just told me to get you…"

Tohru nodded and followed Kisa out the door and down the stairs. Her eyes fluttered around the lobby of the castle in search for her guest, someone who would hopefully distract her from Yuki's party, but she didn't see anyone. Every single chair in the lobby was empty, and there was no one standing around. Tohru remained by the entranceway, staring at the unoccupied room for a moment. She looked down at Kisa with a slight frown, determined to find this person in hopes to get her mind off of Yuki's party. She knew she was making no progress by constantly dwelling on his birthday.

"He didn't wait inside?"

Kisa shook her head saying, "He refused to come inside."

"That's strange…"

Tohru smiled a bit now. At least there really was someone here to see her. She needed the distraction before she went crazy over Yuki's party. But what if her guest was Akito? She tensed up instantly at that thought. She'd rather worry than see him, but she knew better than to worry about him being her guest. He had no problem with coming inside and acting like he lived here. He couldn't be her guest… unless he was planning to kidnap her. Tohru shuddered, forcing herself out of her suspicions before she hyperventilated out of terror. Before she completely snapped out of her trancelike state, she was in front of the gates.

"Tohru-hime," greeted the two guards.

She jumped back out of shock before she walked into the iron bars. Snapping her head to either side in a confused manner, she looked around until she remembered what she was out here for. She turned back to the guards and smiled at them faintly. She peered around uneasily for her mysterious guest, but she couldn't find him out here either. One of the guards nudged her shoulder back towards the exit as the other raised the gates slowly. So by refusing to come inside, Kisa was referring to the castle grounds in general, not just the palace as Tohru had earlier assumed. Suddenly she wasn't so sure about seeing this guest. Why wouldn't someone want to come inside unless they were a criminal? She swallowed nervously.

"Would you like us to accompany you? The man seemed very suspicious. We couldn't see his face at all. He kept it hidden yet he claimed to be an acquaintance of yours…" a guard told her.

"I'll be fine…" Tohru reassured them in a hushed voice.

"Just scream if he hurts you, and we'll get him… Be careful…" warned the two guards, stepping aside to let her through.

With all the courage she could muster, Tohru took a deep breath and bravely stepped off the palace grounds. She glanced around for her visitor, but nobody was to be seen. Cautiously, she stepped out of the eyeshot of the guards and into the forest. Tohru continued down the path, pausing in a small clearing. She whirled around, searching for the person who was supposed to be waiting for her. She didn't see anything out here but trees and greenery. Tohru turned her head to the side, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. There was still no sight of anyone around. Too focused on scanning the area before her for her guest, Tohru didn't hear the footsteps coming toward her from behind. She did, however, notice when the person brushed her hair back behind her ear and spoke.

"Why don't you pick up your phone anymore?" a low voice growled in her ear.

Tohru squeaked and jumped up, lurching forward. She scrambled a few feet forward out of fright before she turned around and stared at the tall man dressed in black. She stared at him, clutching her hands over her chest in terror. The color drained from her face as her eyes doubled in size. The guards weren't exaggerating when they had described him. She couldn't catch her breath long enough to do as she was instructed and call out for the guards.

"Tohru, you don't even recognize me? I thought you loved me…"

It took her a minute, but Tohru's mouth soon slid open in realization. She darted back over to him and threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly in her arms as an attempt at an apology for not greeting him right away. He hugged her back, burying his face in her hair with a smile across his face. She only clung to him for a brief moment before she took a step back, bringing her hands to the hood that hung over his head and pushed it back, letting his silver hair and handsome face show. Tohru beamed, a part of her not believing he was here while her other half wondered why he was here.

"Wha-what are you doing here, Yuki-kun?" Tohru breathed.

"Because you absolutely refuse to answer your phone, and I was starting to go crazy… Being away from you is hardly bearable, and now you're not even letting me hear your voice? Are you angry at me?"

She shook her head instantly. He raised his eyebrows at her out of curiosity. If she wasn't mad at him, -and he highly doubted that she took pleasure in driving him insane- then why wouldn't she answer his calls or reply to his messages? Yuki couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation so he stood there, waiting for her to explain. She looked down at her feet, an embarrassed blush streaking across her face.

"I-I'm sorry… I'm not mad at you… I… I ju-just… I mean… Your birthday… You didn't tell me, and I got an in-invitation…. And I didn't know if… if you didn't tell me because you don't want me there… or if you didn't mean to send me one… or…" Tohru whispered.

Yuki gave her a perplexed expression. He shook his head to the sides with an amused grin playing across his face. He paused, lifting his downcast face slightly to look her in the eyes. He continued to smile as he placed a hand on her either of her shoulders. With that simple smile, Tohru suddenly forgot what she had been fretting over for the past week. All her mind could concentrate on now was breathing, or his close proximity might cause her to suffocate herself by forgetting to take a breath. She raised her eyes to meet his, abruptly wondering why he was looking at her like she had lost her mind.

"Tohru, you're being ridiculous. Of course I want you to come. Nobody else matters. Just you. To be blunt, I didn't even know my birthday was coming up until a few days ago, and after I realized, you stopped answering my calls."

He gazed down at her with a teasingly stern and frustrated face, but Tohru looked up at him with a bright smile lighting up her face. So she had been worrying about nothing again. She laughed softly at her own foolishness. Tohru faced the ground with a humiliated blush sweeping across her face. She was too relieved to fall for his teasing today and start apologizing, but that didn't bother him since she blushed anyways. He chuckled to himself, raising his hand to her cheek and resting his fingertips just before her ear.

"So you'll come, right?"

"Yes..."

"Perfect. Then I have something for you…" Yuki told her.

He lifted up a white box she hadn't noticed before and held it out to her. Tohru's eyes widened at the sight of the gift. It had a lacy ribbon tied around with a bouncy bow in the middle. Her hands reached out to take the alluring box, but she quickly snapped her arms back down to her sides, trying to ignore the fact that the pretty gift was practically screaming out her name. She wanted that box, regardless of what was inside. It was from Yuki, it had to be something extraordinary, but the scene was backwards to her. She was supposed to be the one wielding a gift, and he was supposed to be the one taking it. After all, his birthday was the one a week from now, hers was in May.

"Oh no… I couldn't! It's your birthday! I'm supposed to get you a gift!" Tohru exclaimed.

Tohru shook her head sideways frantically and waved her hands repeatedly at him in a halfhearted refusal. Yuki sighed and tucked the gift under his arm before he used his hands to grab her wrists to stop the erratic movements. As soon as her eyes popped open and her movements hindered out of surprise, he placed the box in her hands and took three steps away from her to discourage her from shoving the box back at him. Tohru stared down at the box with a guilty expression across her face. How could she take something from him when she hadn't even begun looking for a present to give him on his birthday?

"Open it… please?" Yuki begged her.

"I… I can't… It's not right… You're supposed to get a gift… not me… You shouldn't be giving me something…"

"Tohru, please? It's practically a gift to myself… If you like it, you'll be happy, right? And if you're happy, I'm happy," he grinned at her.

Tohru frowned but gave in. She could tell that no matter what she said to him, she'd still end up walking away with the present in her arms. Carefully, she untied the bow and pulled off the lid. Yuki took these two things from her so she could find his gift buried between the tissue paper. She slowly located the article of clothing and pulled it out. Tohru extended her arms straight out in front of her, staring at the extravagant gown before her. She gasped at the beauty of the kimono. Joyfully she held it against her body, twirling around with a wide grin. As much as she hated the fact that he wasted money on her, she couldn't deny how much she adored this.

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful! I love it, Yuki-kun! Thank you!" she sang, jumping back into his arms.

He dropped the lid and the ribbon, catching her by her waist and lifting her up into the air effortlessly. It was like her emotions were directly wired to his. Yuki found his face reflecting her wide grin effortlessly. He felt just as giddy as she did but most likely for a different reason. Of course he was happy to see her elated, but part of his joy was due to the fact that she actually liked his gift, and to make things even better, she was even going to go to his party. She giggled, clutching the pink kimono dearly.

"So you'll wear it to the ball… For me?"

"Of course! It'll be my honor!" Tohru exclaimed.

"I'm glad…" he murmured, lowering her back onto her feet.

"Thank you so much!" she repeated, giving him a tight hug.

She gave him a quick peck on his lips before pulling away. He raised his eyebrows at her before giving her a disapproving look. Tohru's mouth slid open, about to let an apology out, but his mouth covered hers before she could say 'sorry'. She felt her eyes jolt open wider and her head spin as he gave her a deeper kiss. She couldn't catch her breath. Tohru felt herself start falling backwards, her lips losing contact with his. He caught her with a laugh and brought her back into his arms, holding her until she wasn't dizzy anymore. She felt like a drug addict who had just gotten out of rehab and was taking drugs all over again. Her drug, he tasted pretty good, but she'd need a moment to readjust to the high level of ecstasy she felt when he kissed her.

"You'd better get back… Those guards are very careful… I had to talk to them for almost an hour before your brother made your sister go get you…" Yuki whispered into her ear as he stroked her hair out of her face.

Tohru's lips curved downwards after he released her and gave her a brisk kiss. She gripped the kimono in her hands as she said goodbye and whirled around to head back home.

"Oh wait…" Yuki called her, grabbing her shoulder before she was a foot away from him.

Tohru froze, looking back at him with her large chocolate eyes. He pulled out a smaller package, which matched the box her kimono had come in, from his pocket and handed it to her. Tohru stared at it, horrorstruck. He rolled his eyes and sighed again, pressing it into her hands. Great, another gift. It was probably going to be something else that was crazily expensive that would make her feel even more ashamed for not getting him a gift yet. She frowned at it. Why did he have to be so generous?

"It's a masquerade ball, is it not? You'll need your mask," Yuki quickly explained.

Tohru cringed, "But more? I don't have anything for you… yet…"

"Just come to the party and save a dance for two for me… That'll be more than enough…"

Tohru blushed embarrassedly and looked away from him. That's right. At a dance, they'd surly be dancing. Luckily, she had been taking dance lessons since she was a child, but even with all those years of practice, she still couldn't keep her balance on the dance floor for very long. She could vividly remember the last lesson she had a couple of days ago. Somehow, her left ankle had got caught around her right leg, and as she started to make a spin, her dress got entangled in the mess, and she fell over, taking her dance instructor down with her. Why did she have the feeling that he'd be an exceptionally smooth, wondrous dancer? Just another thing to make him even more superior to her than he already was.

"Princess?" the guards yelled worriedly.

"Ah… Coming!" she shouted back to them.

"Just tell them you found these packages on the floor with this note… I was never here, okay?" he instructed her, slipping a sheet of parchment into her hands.

She nodded, and he was out of there in a flash, leaving no traces behind him. Tohru glanced at the castle with a frown. Why did she have to go back there when all she wanted to do was run after Yuki and spend more time with him? She had only spent about ten minutes with him in over a week. She felt stupid now for not answering her phone. She had put to waste seven days that she could have spent with Yuki. She should have known there was nothing to worry about, but it really was hard for her to believe that he, the gorgeous, perfect prince he was, loved her. Tohru unfolded the letter, reading it as she headed back to the castle.

_To: Princess Tohru Honda_

_From: an anonymous benefactor_

_Wear it to the ball. It'll look amazing on you._

Tohru blushed again at the simple words written on the piece of paper. There wasn't any poetry spewing forth from the letter or even more than two sentences, but it was enough to make her embarrassed. Actually anything he did, said, or wrote could bring a blush to her face. She shook her head, trying to clear her head of the extra blood before she made her way through the gates. Before she even set foot on the castle grounds, Kisa, Haru, and the two guards attacked her with questions.

"Did you see him?"  
"Who was he?"

"What did he want?"

"Are you okay?"  
Haru and Kisa knew the answers to most of these questions, but they asked anyways to keep her from getting suspicious of them. They were pretty sure that her mysterious acquaintance was Yuki, and that was the only reason Haru actually let her go meet her visitor. Seeing what Tohru was holding in her arms and spotting no injuries on her confirmed their assumptions.

"I'm fine… But no one was there… Just these… And this note!" she lied, holding up her stuff.

They all eyed her incredulously. She lifted the items higher to partially hide her face away from them. She was sure if they kept looking at her like that, they'd see that she wasn't telling them the truth but was doing what Yuki had asked her to. Tohru fidgeted uncomfortably before the four pairs of eyes. None of them spoke for a few minutes, making her more anxious by the second. She had no back up plan if they didn't believe what Yuki told her to say. Tohru regretted not asking him for more advice since she knew perfectly well how bad of a liar she was.

'That's a pretty outfit…" Kisa complimented truthfully, noticing how tense Tohru had grown.

Tohru's head bobbed up and down in agreement. She couldn't keep the glimmer of happiness off of her face even though she could see they thought she was a little crazy for liking an outfit, someone she supposedly didn't know randomly left her, that much.

"But why would anyone just hand out something like that? It looks handmade," the taller guard pointed out.

Tohru shrugged, not meeting their gaze, but what the guard had said caught her attention. The kimono had no tag or indication of a designer or maker on it. This was sewn by hand. The kimono had to have cost a fortune. Yuki would have had to buy the silk, ribbons, thread, and then hire someone to sew it together for him. She cringed slightly, deciding she didn't want to think about how much these two gifts had to have cost him anymore.

"What's the note say?" Haru asked.

Tohru unfolded the paper and gave it to Haru who read it out loud. Nobody said a thing. Tohru's face was a dark shade of red though. She hadn't expected him to say what Yuki had written to everyone. It was even more embarrassing to hear him say it.

Kisa shyly decided to break the silence, "So are you going to wear it?"

"I'm not sure… But it'd be such a waste if I didn't," Tohru sighed.

She had lied again. She was positive that she was going to wear it, but she knew better than to say that right away. It would sound odd for her to want to wear something she had received from a _stranger_ so desperately. Haru saw straight through her but decided he would make this easier for her and just play along. He placed his hand under his chin, acting like he was thinking through what she had told him. He was a better actor than he had previously thought –or Tohru was just too gullible for her own safety. Tohru looked genuinely worried about what he'd say about her wearing the kimono.

"I suppose I don't see any harm in that. Now we only need to buy a dress for Kisa," Haru added.

Tohru beamed. She couldn't be any luckier. A whole night with Yuki -without having to sneak out- in the outfit he had given to her. Thankfully she hadn't gone shopping for a dress with Kisa yet. She'd rather wear the kimono than the most expensive gown available simply because he had given it to her. To her, anything he touched became one of the most valuable things in the world. Tohru already had a miniature collection of things she had received from Yuki, the blue fabric, the ribbon, the bag the ribbon had come in… She did sound like a drug addict, but her drug would never harm her in any way.

"It's about to snow… You three better get inside," the guards advised, taking a look up at the sky.

The three of them nodded and went inside together. Tohru headed to her room immediately, setting the kimono on her bed. She kneeled down on the floor and pulled out the mask from its wrapping. It was pure white, covered in small hand sewn white sequins and small cloudy feathers dotted the two ends. It was as exquisite as the kimono. She stroked the velvety feathers with a small smile across her face. As much as she hated how much he must have spent to get her these things, she was grateful for the gifts. She'd keep them forever, even if she outgrew them. She just hoped he'd like whatever she'd get him as much as she loved his gifts.

"So lovely…" Tohru muttered as she set the mask atop the pink sheets of her bed.

Tohru's eyes flickered over to her dresser as she suddenly remembered the first thing Yuki had said to her back at the forest. He had made a comment about her not picking up her phone and not replying to his messages. She frowned and walked over to her dresser and pulled out her phone, eager to listen to the messages he had left her. Flipping the small device open, the first thing she saw almost made her drop her phone from shock.

She had forty four new messages.

**What Yuki said in those 44 messages we shall never know because I can't even think of one, but let's say Yuki is officially crazy to have left that many. Don't ask why 44. I just like the number. Tohru is crazy too, m'kay? That's why she was acting stupid and stuff over his birthday party. And I know Yuki's birthday is in September and not December, but it's in December for this story. Tohru's birthday really is in May though ♥**


	25. Thee Only Do I Love

Tohru couldn't sleep more than a couple of hours the night before Yuki's party. She was too excited to lie in bed or even shut her eyes long enough to fall back asleep after she awoke at four. Now that she was awake, she couldn't even bring herself to stay in bed for longer than a minute. Her eyes were wide open with enthusiasm. She felt more energetic and peppy than she ever had before. Tohru couldn't wait to see Yuki or give him her gift. She had worked endlessly the past week locating the perfect gift for him, and she was sure she had chosen a gift he'd like.

She peered out the window. It was still dark out, yet she couldn't sleep another wink. Quietly, she rolled off her bed, shivering in her thin night gown as she slipped out from under the covers. Tohru yanked on a warmer outfit and lit a candle. She pulled open the small drawer in her nightstand and picked up the small box wrapped in shiny, silver paper. She smiled as she tugged on one end of the white ribbon she had tied around it, undoing the bow. She carefully peeled the piece of tape off and unwrapped the box. Tohru tugged off the lid and stared at the necklace within. Sliding her fingers under the gold chain she lifted the necklace up to her eyes. Dangling on the chain was a small white flower, a centimeter in diameter.

She beamed to herself as she skipped over to her vanity and picked up her identical necklace, aligning the two of them before her face. His gift took her hours to find. She had no idea what would be a suitable gift for a guy. She wanted a gift that would show him how much she loved him but had no idea where she would find something like that. Oddly enough, she found these necklaces at the same jewelry shop where she had bought the earrings for Kisa, the same day she had _first met Yuki_. She had been walking around the store aimlessly, looking at various items with little interest when the glimmering necklace caught her eyes.

_Tohru stooped down in front of the display case, placing her hands on the glass and leaning close enough to press her nose against the barrier between her and the mesmerizing necklace. It was beautiful, but she wasn't sure if it would suit him. If she was a boy, she probably wouldn't want a necklace with such a girly charm. She probably wouldn't have bought it if it weren't for what the saleslady had told her._

_"Those necklaces are a set… A pair for two lovers… The charm is of an arbutus, a flower that means 'thee only do I love'… It shows everyone that you'll love no other but him, and if he wears it, you'll know he feels the same…" _

Tohru beamed to herself, reminiscing about that day. Now all she could do was hope he wouldn't laugh when he saw it. She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't hear the knocking on her door. All of a sudden, a pair of hands grasped her shoulders. Obviously shocked, Tohru flinched and jolted upright, almost dropping Yuki's gift. Without even looking behind her to see who was in her room, she covered up the necklaces with both of her hands, poorly feigning innocence as she turned around. Two maids stood behind her, holding baskets filled with various toiletries.

"It's time to get ready for the dance…" one of them told her.

"Already?" Tohru gasped, glancing at the clock in disbelief. The last time she had looked, it had barely been seven in the morning, but it was well past ten now. Before Tohru could blink, she was dragged off into the bathroom. They were already stripping her of her clothes before both of her feet touched her bathroom floor. Tohru struggled, escaping from them, dressed only in her underwear. She was about to dart out of the bathroom to get away but stopped when she had opened the door an inch, realizing that her clothes were clasped in the hands of the two maids, and she wasn't wearing anything but her pink bra and panties.

Tohru blushed, looking away from the two of them, "I-I can bathe myself… Tha-Thank you…"

The maids exchanged uneasy looks. Tohru laughed nervously, pressing her back against the door. She wrapped her fingers securely around the necklaces she had accidentally brought with her. She kept her hand hiding the jewelry behind her back and opened the door with the other. Remaining safely hidden behind the door, she gestured to them to leave. The two maids reluctantly left, knowing they had no right to disobey a princess's commands.

Tohru collapsed against the door after they left, closing the door in the process. She slid down to the floor, resting her head between her knees out of relief. Not only was it embarrassing to have someone other than herself undressing her, but it was also incredibly difficult to keep them from noticing Yuki's necklace. She smiled and lifted her head to watch the charms spin around on their chains. She stared at the pair, letting the charms hypnotize her as they got tangled together. She continued to stare until she felt something wet at her feet. Tohru jumped up when she realized that water was overflowing from the tub. Quickly, she sloshed through the inch of water soaking the floor and turned off the faucet.

"Princess? Are you alright in there? There's water coming out from under the door…" a maid commented in a worried voice.

"Ah! Yes! I'm alright!" Tohru replied, too embarrassed to explain the situation.

"Princess, not to rush you or anything, but if you could, would you please start your bath? We have a limited amount of time to get you ready, and there is a lot to do," one of the maids urged her.

"AH! Yes! Right away! I'm sorry!" Tohru exclaimed as she unplugged the drain to let out some of the water so that when she climbed in more water wouldn't pour out. She started to grab some towels to soak up the water from the floor since she had caused the mess but stopped immediately and stepped into the tub after the two maids ordered her not to worry about the mess.

In the tub was where Tohru sat for another hour. By the time the maids let her out of the bathroom, her skin was more wrinkled than the skin of an eighty year old, but before she could set one foot out of the restroom, the maids caught her. They squeezed some floral scented substance into her hair and scrubbed her head until she was sure she had lost at least a handful of hair due to the rough treatment. She didn't even have the time to think of escaping before they started combing through her tangled brown locks and blow-drying the frizzy mess into a straight, smooth, mass.

They didn't pause before dragging her back into her room to start the next part of her torturous -in Tohru's opinion- makeover. They sat her down on a chair and began raking through her hair again, but this time they yanked her long strands back into a tight bun. They only left a few strands undone to frame her face, hanging adjacent to her bangs. Next, they braided two thin braids on either side of her head and wove them into the bun at the back of her head and finally, added a string of purple orchids to the top of the bun.

Tohru only had enough time to look at herself in the mirror for a split second before they turned her away to start on her makeup. They covered her face in a light powder that made her sneeze a couple of times. After, they painted her lips a bright pink and lined her eyes with a thin black border. Tohru's head was spinning by the time they moved onto filing and painting her finger and toe nails.

By the time she was done, she had forgotten how long she had been sitting there in that chair, but eventually she was in her kimono, adjourned with jewelry and other various accessories. The two maids finally left her alone for the last hour she had before they had to leave. All she wanted to do was drop down and go to bed, but that was out of the question. They had specifically instructed her to do nothing that would ruin her appearance so Tohru settled for standing in front of the mirror. She almost couldn't recognize herself. She looked different. She had never spent the time to apply makeup before, and she really didn't know what to make of it. She knew she didn't look bad, but what she really wanted to know was what Yuki would think. Of course, she knew he'd say she looked beautiful as usual, but she wanted to see his facial reaction now that she looked like some princess from a fairy tale.

Meanwhile…

Yuki jumped out of the way before a stampede of cleaning maids and butlers trampled him. They had been dusting and moping all morning, not leaving a speak of dust anywhere. The floors had been wiped so many times that Yuki could nearly see his own reflection on the marble tiles.

A few people were setting arrangements of flowers and ribbons all around. Most of the people were in the grand hall though, decorating for the ball. People holding boxes of streamers, banners, balloons, and such were seen all around the large palace. Aromas of various foods had been floating in the air all day. Not a single person wasn't currently working on something except for Yuki. Even Ayame was busy working on the finishing touches on Yuki's evening wear.

So Yuki had nothing to do. Nobody would accept any help from him. He eventually decided to hide out in his room, but there wasn't much to do in there either. Tohru was too busy getting ready to talk, or at least, that's how he interpreted her phone being off. He had nothing to do until she arrived. He dropped down to the cold floor and pulled out a small box from his back pocket. Yuki opened it and smiled, pulling out another gift he had for Tohru. It was a small black, velvet box with a bright red ribbon wrapped around it. He twisted it around in his hand, staring at it. He didn't get a long time to admire the present. Ayame came in a brief moment later ordering him to change into his birthday attire, a black suit.

Yuki decided not to comment about how early it was and got dressed. Afterwards, he decided to wander around a bit. He had lived in this palace his whole life, yet he hadn't seen half of this palace with his own eyes. As he sauntered down the hallway, Yuki was surprised to hear racket in the grand hall already. Guests were already piling in, gathered in large clumps. Everyone was dressed in their best clothes with their dates at their sides. All the females wore masks, clinging to their beaus. Why guys never wore a mask was still a mystery to him, not that he was complaining. He'd rather not cover his face with something scratchy though he did pity the girls for having to.

It was time to start looking for Tohru. There were already so many people here. He was afraid to imagine how it'd be when everyone arrived. To his relief, he had given her that outfit. If he hadn't, it would have been impossible to find her. Everyone just sort of blended into one colorful blob before his eyes. He craned his neck up, trying to find the brunette. Just as he was beginning to think she hadn't arrived yet, he felt someone bump into him.

"Oops! I'm sorry!"

He glanced down at the flustered masked girl who had just run into him. Her face was hidden behind a white mask, but his eyes immediately flew to the pink kimono she wore and her dark brown chocolate eyes framed by the pure white mask. She kept her face down out of embarrassment, but he knew who it was instantly. He could feel his heart thump as his eyes slowly scanned over her. His mouth slid open in awe. Only one thought registered in his head and that was how beautiful he thought she was now.

"Tohru..."

Her head jerked up at the sound of his all too familiar voice. A grin broke out across her face, replacing the humiliated blush. She threw her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. Yuki smiled and half hugged her back, whispering into her ear, "Perfect timing… But not here… Follow me…"

He grasped her hand in his and led her out of the main hall. Tohru followed him closely, trying not to draw too much attention to them. He took her down an empty hallway and through a few doors until they were outside. Yuki stopped when they were standing out on a balcony. After he shut the doors behind them, he faced her with a smile. Placing his finger under her chin, he gazed at her face, tilting his head to the side every so often to get a look at every angle of her face. He pushed the mask to the top of her head and continued this until she covered her face with her hands out of embarrassment. As soon as she did this, Yuki wrapped his fingers around her wrists and moved her hands from her face without effort.

"You look absolutely stunning, Tohru… Don't hide your face from me…" he watched her face light up with a blush before continuing, "I'm glad you could make it… I've missed you…"

"I missed you too…" Tohru breathed timidly.

---

A dark haired man wandered along the palace. He turned left at a corner, walking around aimlessly until he noticed a door carelessly left open. He stepped inside, spotting a pink smudge in the distance. Curiously, he headed down the corridor. The figure became clearer. It was her, the one he had been searching for since his arrival. His eyes lit up, and a malevolent smirk spread across his face. He quickened his pace, eager to reach her. He was surprised to hear her giggle. As he neared the door, he realized that she wasn't alone.

Tohru, his soon to be fiancée, was standing out there, alone, with another man. The darkness kept her lover's –or so he assumed that this male was a lover of some sort- identity a secret to his envious eyes, but he could tell what they were doing just fine. He could still hear her laugh and see her lean towards his silhouette and kiss him without any trouble. His hands tightened into fists. He clenched the nearest thing within his reach, the back of a chair, before his fingernails wedged themselves under his skin.

"I love you…"

"I love you too…"

He heard her whisper those sacred words back to the unknown man. Those words that were supposedly only meant for him. Why was she saying that to some other guy? The wood crumbled underneath his fingers as his anger rose to a dangerous level. The only two people close enough to hear were too distracted to notice the splintering sound.

---

Tohru stared up at Yuki's face. She could see her breath in the air in front of her. A white snowflake gently fell down from the sky above and landed in the middle of her nose. She shivered as the chilly air danced against her skin, sweeping the snowflake away, but it managed to leave a small bubble of liquid on her nose. Yuki reached towards her face, wiping off the droplet of water with his thumb. He kept his hand on her cheek. Displeased with the absence of warmth, he frowned and let his other hand cover her other cheek. He leaned his face towards her, letting his warm breath tickle her nose.

"Cold?"

She nodded and leaned towards him, wrapping her arms around his back. Tohru pressed herself against him, seeking warmth. He reached behind him and unlocked her fingers, pulling away from her. Tohru lifted her face, giving him a confused and slightly hurt expression. He smiled at her as he shrugged off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. Before it could even enter her head, he locked his arms around hers to keep her from removing his jacket and giving it back to him.

"Don't even think about worrying over me. You're the one whose fingers are going to fall off if you don't warm up a bit… And, you know, I can't really love someone who has no fingers…So don't take off the coat…"

"Eh?"

"… I'm kidding… It wouldn't matter to me if you were missing both of your hands or even your arms and legs… I'll still love you all the same… But seriously, don't remove my jacket…" Yuki turned his head a bit, pressing his lips against the side of her neck. He kept his lips there for a minute, before he grinned and pulled away, leaving the spot where his mouth once was burning hot. He chuckled with satisfaction and planted another kiss on her forehead. To him, there was nothing more fun than making a blush light up her cheeks. It was a cruel yet beyond amusing hobby to play with her timidity. She looked down at her feet, not wanting to show him the effect he had on her.

"You're warmer now… So you'll stay here a little longer then?" he asked, holding the loose coat on her shoulders.

"Yes…" she answered softly before he lowered his head to kiss her again.

He paused when their faces were less than an inch apart to say, "You know it's harder to kiss you with that mask."

She tore it off her head with one hand, craning her head up and letting their lips meet again. Yuki continued to smother her mouth with sweet kisses. He drew back after a few minutes to let them catch their breaths. Yuki kept his forehead against hers, still breathing heavily like Tohru. He gazed into her eyes, grinning. Tohru smiled, her previous feeling of cold forgotten as she stretched forward to brush her lips against his once more.

"Prince? Yuki-sama?"

Tohru froze before her lips met his. She unwound her hands from around his neck and took a step back, glancing through the glass door only to catch a glimpse of a group of servants racing down the hallway. Yuki groaned when he heard the calls for him in the distance. He rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Tohru peered back at him, tilting her head to the side with a blank expression. He sighed and pulled Tohru back towards him, giving her one more short kiss before he straightened up.

"What is it?" Tohru asked him, cocking her head to the side out of curiosity.

"I have to give a welcoming speech…" Yuki muttered.

"How exciting!" she smiled.

"Not so much… My mother wrote it all… I'm just there to read it…"

"Oh…"

There was a quick pause before Yuki went on, "Will you wait for me inside?"

She nodded, resting her head against his chest for a moment longer before they had to head inside. He clutched her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze before he carefully opened the door without making a sound. Little to their knowledge, someone was watching them. They walked down the dark hallway wordlessly, but even without words, their love was evident. The way they were positioned, both slightly turned toward the other, and the way they eyes were locked together made their love as clear as it would have been if they started reciting Shakespeare to one another.

Yuki pulled her along, pausing amongst the huge crowd.

"Wait here. Don't move… Please. If you do… I'm afraid I won't be able to find you again…" he murmured to her.

"I'll be waiting then…" she managed to get in before he squeezed his way to the front of the room.

Yuki climbed up the steps, standing in front of the overly decorated pedestal. Light pink roses were strung around a poster that read: Happy Birthday Yuki. Up behind the pedestal seemed to be the last place he wanted to be. Yuki had the most robotic expression Tohru had ever seen him wear. She had never seen him look so emotionless. His eyes wandered around the room as his mother said a few words. As they met hers, they flickered, and the corners of his mouth twitched as he fought a smile. The ounce of joy she had seen flash across his face abruptly faded when he was handed the microphone. He sighed before he cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. Everyone turned their attention to the silver haired man.

"Welcome to my birthday party… I'd like to thank you all for coming…" Yuki continued his rehearsed speech in a clear, loud, perfect voice.

His voice sounded exquisite and happy, a flawless imitation of joy. The smile across his face even looked realistic. Only Tohru could see that it was all an act, something to please his mother, but even for her, it was hard to doubt the breathtakingly gorgeous prince. She could see how the smile on his face now was just a simple movement of the muscles in his face. There was no sparkle to his eyes, not even a hint. His eyes were dull and bored, lifeless even. Tohru continued to gaze at him, only now she stared for another reason other than just observing his facial features. She watched him now, comparing him to his surroundings. She still wasn't quite used to the fact that Yuki was a prince, not just any prince, but the guy that she was completely forbidden to be with. How was this going to work?

"…So are there any questions?" Yuki summed up his speech with that one question.

Tohru flinched, brought back to reality. She made a face as she realized she had just zoned out during his entire speech. She sighed and looked around at all the masked women standing next to tall men. How lucky they were to be able to stand around with the ones they loved without having to worry about keeping it a secret. Before she got herself depressed, her eyes switched their focus to her siblings. Haru and Kisa stood at the opposite side of the room. Silently, she slunk down, hoping they hadn't noticed her or her disappearance. As she stood there, she realized that she hadn't put her mask back on. Carefully, she reached into the pocket of Yuki's coat and pulled out the white mask, covering her face once again as she tried not to draw attention to herself.

"I have a question… Where's the rest of your suit?" a dark haired man asked with a cynical smile.

"What do you mean?" Yuki asked back.

"Your jacket. Where is it?" he clarified.

Yuki's eyes immediately flew over to Tohru. He had completely forgotten about his jacket. Tohru almost lurched forward when she noticed the black coat still around her fragile body. People started talking amongst themselves as they looked towards Tohru's direction every minute. She didn't meet their gazes, pretending not to know what they were thinking, but she couldn't keep the blush from seeping onto her cheeks. Yuki, on the other hand, was able to keep his cool. He quickly swore under his breath, inaudible to everyone but him before he forced a smile back onto his face.

"Oh. Well, earlier, I saw a girl, and she looked cold so I let her have my jacket. Is that so wrong? I thought that was the humane thing to do," Yuki replied calmly.

Nobody else said anything.

"If there aren't any more questions… Then the dance will begin…" Yuki announced.

"Oh wait! This question is for the ladies' benefit. So you'll dance with any girl that asks, correct?" the same man asked.

Yuki was speechless, attempting to come up with an appropriate response, but nothing registered in his head. If he said he wouldn't dance with any girl, how would he explain dancing with Tohru later? On the other hand, if he said yes, he might not get the chance to even ask Tohru to dance. He could tell there were more than a hundred girls here who would be willing to ditch their boyfriends, fiancées, and even husbands for a chance to dance with him. He could easily solve the problem by saying he wouldn't dance with any girl and just not dance with Tohru, but he wanted to dance with her. The war continued within his head, making no progress whatsoever.

The dark haired man continued, smirking now, "Or is there someone special that you want to stay loyal to?"

"No, there's no one in particular…" Yuki finally lied with a straight face.

Tohru's breath caught in her throat. She bit her lip, holding back bitter tears. Even though she knew that wasn't true, it still hurt to hear him say that like it was nothing at all, or at least, she thought he was lying, but there was a chance that that was actually how he felt… Tohru shook her head rapidly, immediately denying that before she started believing that theory. She wouldn't be able to stop herself from crying if that happened. Her eyes fluttered back to Yuki, and she smiled a bit as she noticed how his eyes returned to hers every other second. She could tell he was telling her to ignore everything he had just said. Tohru beamed more broadly to let him know she understood, and his face relaxed ever so slightly.

"Now, if nobody else has a question…"

"Wait, wait, wait! Why are you in such a hurry?" the man was persistent with his questions.

Tohru stared at the man. He looked strangely familiar. Had they met before? She stared at the side of his head. She couldn't see his face, but his voice sent shivers down her spine for some reason. Tohru subconsciously took a step away, putting some extra distance between her and the dark haired fellow. Yuki's eyes didn't miss Tohru's actions. He was growing irritated with this man. This guy knew just the right questions to bring out the ire in him, and the fact that Tohru seemed to be frightened of that guy infuriated Yuki even more.

"I just thought everyone would like to start dancing," Yuki hissed through clenched teeth.

"Or is it that you can't wait to dance with a certain someone?"

Yuki was getting more annoyed with him with every question. He answered in a bitter tone, no longer trying to sound nonchalant, "No… Now are you out of questions?"

"Just one more… What's your relation with Tohru Honda?"

Yuki froze, caught off guard for a second. His late reaction went on unnoticed to most though some noticed his eyes quickly shoot up towards where Tohru was standing. Tohru's heart froze before beating faster than normal. Her palms were sweaty now. She was having a difficult time keeping a grip on Yuki's jacket. The fact that she kept dropping his coat every minute didn't help keep the attention away from her. It just made everyone remember the first question about where Yuki's jacket was, and a few were beginning to put one and one together. She couldn't tell by their expressions what kind of theories were running through their heads, but the bewildered looks they were tossing her were enough to scare her.

"Tohru who?" Yuki asked with a fake oblivious look.

After those two words Yuki had gotten in was when Yuki's mom decided to step in. There was no point in time where she'd risk having Yuki remember. She was just that selfish. Nothing would ruin her 'perfect' plan, not if she could help it. Yuki would marry Machi and have nothing to do with the wretched Tohru Honda ever again. She stepped over to him and took the microphone out of his hands with one hand and using the other to give him a light shove towards the steps.

"Thank you, Yuki dear, for your wonderful speech. The dance ought to start now!" she declared before anyone could say anymore.

For the first time in his life, Yuki was actually genuinely grateful to his mom. He wasn't sure how much longer he could have lasted in that little game. Yuki gave a short, quick respectful bow before he left the stage. He practically flew down the steps and shoved past the dense mass of people, throwing in an apology here and there for his rash behavior. He had to find Tohru, and he had to get to her now. From the stage, he had seen many emotions play across her face, most of them various forms of terror and sadness, both of which he didn't like to see on her face.

He spotted Tohru in the exact same place as earlier, except maybe she was a little closer to the wall, and she held his jacket behind her back. Yuki was making his way over to her when he noticed something rather interesting. The dark haired man who had asked him all those annoying questions was speaking with the queen of Daichi, Tohru's aunt, down the hall. Unable to contain his curiosity, Yuki crept over there, standing behind the wall. He didn't feel right listening in on their conversation, but he had a feeling that they were up to no good. If they weren't why would they be speaking in a dark hallway where no one could see them?

"Akito, have you found Tohru yet?"

At the sound of this, Yuki tensed up. This was bad. Why would that man be looking for Tohru? If the man just had a grudge against him, he'd be fine with that, but involving Tohru in this was going ten steps too far. Yuki could defend himself perfectly fine. Tohru, on the other hand, couldn't walk five feet without finding something to trip over or run into, not to mention she had no fighting skills whatsoever. If he could stay at Tohru's side constantly, maybe he wouldn't have been bothered by this revelation, but that wasn't the case. They were apart more than they were together, not something he particularly liked, and he liked it even less now that he knew someone was tracking her.

"Not yet."

"Why not? This is the perfect opportunity to sweep her off her feet. How do you expect to marry her if you can't even find her?"

Yuki flinched. Marriage? He couldn't ever let this Akito lay a finger on her. She was his, and he wasn't going to share her with anyone else. Love was selfish. No one was going to marry her but him, if he could help it. Yuki laughed silently at the poor guy. He wasn't going to let him get anywhere close to Tohru tonight. Yuki inched his face forward a bit so he could get another look at the man. It was hard not to remember the hostile face of the dark haired man named Akito. He shuddered at the thought of seeing that man within three meters of Tohru. There was no way Yuki could let that man be around Tohru.

Before the two noticed him, Yuki walked back to the grand hall. Yuki was walking quickly to get to Tohru just in case this Akito ended the conversation soon. To his relief, Tohru was still standing where he last saw her, completely alone. Yuki glanced around himself, making sure that Akito was still nowhere in sight and that his mother wasn't watching him. When he was sure that everyone was too busy to be paying attention to him –even though he was the birthday boy- or Tohru, he snuck up behind Tohru, tapping her shoulder lightly. As he had predicted, she leapt up, completely unaware of the fact that it was him.

Just as she turned around, he held out his hand to her with the most charming smile she had seen in her life. Her heart stopped momentarily at his stunningly perfect posture. She hadn't even seen such perfection in airbrushed magazine photographs before. Someone shouldn't be allowed to look so gorgeous. With that simple gesture, he seemed to wipe away the bit of self-esteem she was able to conjure up this morning. Beside him, she was sure she looked less than normal. So now she wondered why she was the only one who had been complimented, but the intense gaze of his endless grey eyes made her lose her train of thought.

"May I have this dance?" he asked politely as slow music drifted into the air.

Tohru blushed. Too shy to respond with words, she nodded. She was sure if she even made an attempt at speaking, she would have just made herself seem more like a bumbling, spastic girl -not something she really wanted him to think of her as. She slipped her hand into his, and his fingers instantly enclosed around her tiny one, pulling her out to the dance floor. Yuki stopped in the middle of the cluster of people and took Tohru's other hand in his as well, but before they did anything else, Tohru handed Yuki his jacket back to him.

"Thanks for taking care of it for me…" Yuki said to her as he pulled it back on.

"Thank you for letting me borrow it," Tohru replied with a smile.

"I just hope it wasn't too cold for you out there…" Yuki murmured to her as he placed his arms around her small waist, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm fine as long as I'm with you…" she whispered back, slipping her arms around his neck.

With that having been said, Yuki flashed her another smile before sweeping her off her feet, literally. Her feet were a couple of inches off the ground before they made contact with the marble tiles again, and the waltzing began. She was tossed about the dance floor, or so it seemed to her insufficient dancing abilities. She whirled this way and that way and was drawn back into his arms every so often. Tohru soon grew too dizzy for her own comfort and clung to him. He didn't seem bothered by the change of pace, seeing as the music slowed down as well. What bothered him was that she kept her face pressed against his chest, unintentionally hiding her face from him.

Not wanting to risk making her more nauseous by lifting her face just to be able to admire her beauty some more, he waited until she looked up on her own accord. Yuki smiled at her when her eyes finally met his. He could tell she was a lot more comfortable with slow swaying. They gazed into each other's love filled eyes, dancing to the romantic song. For the first time, they had ever danced together, it was truly remarkable. Maybe it was love that made two people look perfect together, regardless of what they were doing. Every move, every turn was done at the exact time. It almost seemed like they had been practicing for weeks.

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are tonight?"

Tohru's blush grew one hundred times darker. She looked down embarrassedly. He placed his hand on her cheek, staring at her with a semi-frown. A couple of his fingers slid under the white mask, tempted to take it off. Regardless of how hard Ayame had worked on the mask or how much prettier it was than every other girl at this ball's mask, it was nothing compared to the beauty of what lied underneath. Yuki pursed his lips together, pouting ever so slightly as he sighed and released her face before he really did yank the stupid mask off.

"It's a shame that you have to keep that mask on in here…" Yuki muttered.

The song came to an end, leaving a few low notes echoing across the vast room. Yuki stepped away from her to hold back from kissing her right there in front of everyone. Instead, he settled for leaving a kiss on the back of her hand. He bent over towards her, letting his lips linger on her soft pale flesh. Timidly, Tohru withdrew her hand before anyone could notice. Yuki tilted his head up to her, flashing her a grin. He took her hand back, keeping a tight grip so she couldn't pull away no matter how hard she tried. Yuki began to lead her away from the clumps of still dancing people.

Akito was walking around fifteen feet to their left. If he looked anymore towards his right, he would spot them. Yuki had been keeping track of Akito during the whole dance so it was easy to know when Akito was too close for comfort and react quickly. He continued tugging Tohru away from the grand hall, stopping only when they were in the hallway and out of Akito's vision range. By the time he turned to Tohru, she was more than ready for an explanation.

"I never did give you a tour, did I?" Yuki asked her.

"No…"

"Come on then…"

Yuki smiled and pulled her down the hallway, wanting to get as far away from Akito as he possibly could. All Yuki really knew about this Akito was his name and that he wanted to marry Tohru, but that was enough for Yuki to consider this guy a problem, a big problem. Yuki paused down the hall, clearly distracted, but he played along with his tour story, pointing out things one usually would when showing someone around his house. He pointed around randomly, stating the names of the places nearby. Tohru seemed to believe his scheme.

"There's the library… And that door leads out to the balcony; where we were earlier…And there's the dining room…" Yuki told her, pointing around the hall.

"Your home is so lovely!" Tohru exclaimed, peering around.

"I'm sure your place is just as lovely… But maybe one day, you'll want to live here with me…"

Was that a proposal? Tohru stopped in her tracks, her whole face burning a dark shade of crimson. She was speechless. All she could do was stare at Yuki's back as he continued to act like he hadn't said anything out of the ordinary. He looked back at her with a comforting smile, urging her to come on. Tohru shyly caught up to him. Yuki wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her securely against him. He didn't want her to be far away from him while Akito was in the building. Still, he refused to tell her any of the things going through his head, even if she thought he was being possessive, overprotective, or just plain maniacal. He couldn't let her fret.

"Is something the matter?" he asked worriedly.

"Ah... No…"

"You seem rather quiet today…" Yuki commented, not convinced with her answer.

"Nothings wrong at all! Really!"

He just stared at her dubiously, not believing her though he made no further comment. Tohru looked around frantically, trying to change the topic. She squirmed around in his arms, unsuccessfully trying to break his hold. Yuki raised his eyebrows at her, but she avoided his eyes. Her fingers fiddled around a small package locked securely under the sash of her kimono. She bit her bottom lip and looked around the room, searching for something that might delay her giving him his gift. She wasn't sure if she was ready for his reaction yet. She wasn't even sure it was a good gift anymore.

"The decorations are really pretty!" she exclaimed, noticing the banners hanging from the ceiling.

"Nowhere close to how pretty you are…"

He pulled her face to him, giving her a sweet kiss, but Tohru ended the kiss abruptly, still blushing madly. She turned her head away from him, her only way of avoiding him since his hands still held her in place beside him. Yuki covered her forehead with his hand worriedly. The way she was acting now was completely different from how she was acting a minute ago. Her blush then held nothing but sheer humiliation, but this one had something more mixed in, something he couldn't identify. Dread?

"Are you sure that nothing is wrong?"  
Tohru bit her lip nervously, not even bothering to shake her head. She played with the edge of her sleeves, avoiding his question. Her fingers wrapped around the small present tightly. She had promised herself that she would give it to him. She couldn't let him think she had forgotten to get him a gift, or worse, leave him believing that she didn't think he was important enough to receive a gift from her. Tohru took a deep breath, wrestling to wrench her fingers out of their death grip around the silver package.

"Tohru-"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" she cried, shoving a small box at him.

He was taken aback, startled by her actions. Due to his shock, Tohru was finally able to break out of his hold and take a few steps away from him, afraid of what he would say to her when he saw the necklace. It took him a second to come back to reality. Yuki laughed lightly, looking at Tohru who had her eyes squeezed shut. Her hands were thrust at him, holding a fist sized box three inches from the tip of his nose. He chuckled again as he realized it was his birthday gift.

"Tohru, Tohru, Tohru… You don't have to be this nervous," he grinned as he took the box from her.

He didn't get a response.

"What is it?" he asked playfully.

Tohru remained quiet. Her eyes were still tightly shut. He shook the box gently but no noise was heard. Tohru opened one eye halfway to check his facial expression, but it shut as soon as he noticed she had even opened it. He started to wonder why she was so worried about giving him a gift. Did she really think he was capable of not liking something_ she_ had given him? Wasn't she aware of his unhealthy fixation with her? She could probably have given him some pebble she had found on her way here, and he still would have treated it as if it were more valuable than a diamond.

"You know, whatever it is, I'll love it because it's from you…" he made an attempt to calm her, but it didn't work.

Tohru didn't show any signs of planning to open her eyes anytime soon. If anything, she grew more tense and anxious. He didn't understand why she thought so poorly of herself. How could one person be so blind to her many positive attributes and be so aware of her flaws? Yuki sighed, shrugging his shoulders slightly as he slowly untied the bow. He tore off the decorative paper gently. Carefully, he removed the lid of the box and stared at the necklace inside. Delicately he held it up by the cold chain, watching the tiny arbutus charm spin around.

"Are you sure you gave me the right package?" Yuki teased her.

Tohru gasped, her eyes snapping wide open.

"I'm sorry! I originally thought it was too girly- I'll get you something else!" Tohru cried with horror painted all over her face.

Yuki held it out of her reach when she tried to take it back. She leapt up, reaching for it, but she was too short to even come close to touching the necklace. She frowned, drawing his attention back to the lips he had refrained from kissing minutes ago during the dance. He quieted her down with a passionate kiss. Her jaw dropped, she was completely unprepared for that. He didn't stop, taking advantage of her wide open mouth as he went on lathering her mouth with kisses until she kissed him back. They broke apart, but she continued to stare at him in shock.

"Yuki…"

"Didn't I just say I'd love anything you gave me? Besides, it's meant to match the one you're wearing. Am I correct?" Yuki asked her with a grin.

Tohru nodded, an embarrassed blush coating her face. She smiled faintly at herself. She had gotten a better reaction than she could have asked for. Now she just hoped he wasn't lying to make her feel better. He did look genuinely pleased with the gift, but then again, she knew he was exceptionally good at everything which meant lying would be easy for him. Mind reading would come in handy now so she could know what he honestly thought of the necklace, but who was she kidding? There was no such thing as mind reading. As she thought this, Yuki unhooked the chain and clasped it around his neck. She glanced up, batting her eyelashes in surprise. That was enough to prove to her that he honestly liked the gift. She beamed as he leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to hers again.

"Oh… I'll only love you too…" he breathed into her ear.

Tohru looked up at him, shocked by his words. She blinked in shock. She pointed to the charm dangling off the matching necklace she was wearing, "You know what an arbutus means?"

Yuki just smiled, not answering her question. Tohru continued to gaze at him as he felt around his pockets, searching for his gift for her in each one of his pockets before he realized that the present was still in the pocket of the pants he had worn earlier. He gave himself a mental kick for being so stupid. Now he'd have to run across the castle to his room for it, not something he really wanted to do, but he had to since he wanted to give her the extra present today.

"Tohru, wait right here for a second. Don't move. I'll be right back!" he called to her as he darted down the hallway.

He was gone before she could even react. She stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do. Tohru covered the pendant around her neck, flushed with joy. It was a relief to know that he didn't despise her gift. It had been exhausting worrying over his reaction for the past week. The saleslady's words spun around in her head.

_ …and if he wears it, you'll know he feels the same…_

Yuki ran up the steps three at a time as quickly as his legs would carry him. He dashed down the deserted hallways to his room. Rapidly, he swung open his bedroom doors. Breathlessly, he dropped down on the floor, fishing the gift out of his pants' pocket. As soon as his fingers enclosed the black box, Yuki stood up and left in a hurry to get back to Tohru. He cursed repeatedly under his breath as he realized he had left Tohru by herself when he knew someone was lurking around looking for her. Yuki skidded around the corner, nearly falling over as he neared Tohru.

"Toh-"

His voice stopped in mid sentence. Tohru was standing there with the last person he wanted around her, Akito. He muttered more profanities before taking several deep breaths to calm himself down. The last thing he wanted to do was beat up Akito since he'd have no explanation for his actions afterwards. If he did that, he might as well run around the castle and tell everyone that he was secretly seeing Tohru. He clenched his teeth together. It was getting harder for him to continue towards them at a normal pace.

"Are you lost, Miss Tohru?"

"No…" she answered, not meeting his gaze.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

"Ah… Going to the restroom…" she made up, getting nervous.

Akito eyed her with a wicked smile. Tohru backed up, hoping Yuki would return soon. She didn't like being here with this guy. Her eyes flashed around the room as she took another step back. Tohru gasped softly when she spotted Yuki about twenty feet to her right. Her tense posture loosened up instantly. She knew nothing bad would happen to her with Yuki nearby. Her attention jerked back to Akito when his frigid hand tugged at her wrist. Tohru ripped her hand out of his, rejecting it as if it was poison. His eyes darkened, his sinister smile twisting down into a scowl.

"Do you remember me, Tohru?" he asked slowly.

Tohru shook her head meekly though she was practically trembling out of fear. Yuki stepped in at this moment. He had stopped caring about whether he was approaching rationally or not as soon as he noticed the fear in Tohru's eyes. To him, nothing, not even the chance that their relationship would be revealed, was worth letting Tohru remain scared for longer than absolutely necessary. He stopped beside Tohru with his fists clenched at his sides to keep him from hurting Akito.

"Please, no lingering in the halls," he said to them with a halfhearted, polite smile.

Tohru looked at him, confused. She didn't understand what was irking him. His eyes were shut, and there was a smile plastered across his face, but she could feel the fury seeping off of him. She bit her lip, forcing herself to look away from Yuki before Akito grew suspicious and figured out that she and Yuki weren't really strangers that just met at the moment since she knew that's how Yuki was trying to make their relationship seem like. Akito didn't try to hide the anger in his eyes like Yuki. The disgust and hatred was mixed in with envy.

"Please get back to the main hall, sir. And if you're looking for a restroom, I'll gladly show you to one," Yuki offered.

Tohru nodded weakly. Before Akito could protest, Yuki grabbed her hand and half dragged her out away from there. She didn't know where he had brought her. The room was half empty. Rooms like this were common in large palaces. The room was filled with exquisite furniture, but the room wasn't what she couldn't take her eyes off of. Yuki looked angry. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed across his chest. His knuckles were nearly white. She could see how tense his face was. He was even glaring across the room at nothing in particular. Her mouth opened to ask what was wrong, but her vocal cords refused to function properly. She was scared stiff. He looked so cold, like a murderer...

His eyes finally lost the sharpness as they lowered down to hers. He mentally punched himself a couple of times as soon as he saw the terror in her eyes. What hurt was that fear in her eyes was clearly because of him and not because of Akito any longer. Before he said anything, he grasped her in his arms, gripping her tightly. Tohru gaped and flinched from shock. She would have jumped up if he didn't have her locked in his arms. His grip was too tight to provide much comfort, but it was better than him glowering furiously.

"Could you please do me a favor and not talk to that guy…" Yuki whispered into her ear.

"Wh-what?" Tohru stuttered.

"Trust me, please? I think he's onto us… So stay away from him… I don't want to be separated from you," Yuki pleaded in a soft voice.

She stretched her face up, staring up at his face. Tohru shoved at his chest a little and got him to loosen his grip enough so that she could see his face. Tohru gazed at him, searching for the real reason he didn't want her to speak with that guy. All she could see was concern now, and she nodded. The promise wouldn't be hard to keep. She didn't really want to see that dark haired man ever again anyways. His eyes shut and the creases in his forehead immediately disappeared as soon as he knew she had agreed.

"I'll try not to … But Yuki-kun, why did you leave…?"

Yuki smiled, and all worry and anger fully washed out of his eyes, replaced with pure eagerness and joy. He pulled out the velvet box from his pocket, offering the box to her. Tohru's eyes bulged, and she gaped. He placed his hand over her mouth before she could get out a word of protest. Yuki dropped the box into one of her palms with his other hand, and he wrapped his fingers around hers to keep the box in place. He stared sternly into her eyes to let her know that she was going to keep the gift whether she wanted to or not.

"Another gift to myself," he explained.

"B-but you already gave me this mask and outfit…" Tohru said, hesitantly after his hand left her mouth.

"Is there a limit on how many gifts I can give y- myself?"

Tohru's cheeks turned pink. She glanced down at the floor embarrassedly.

"Okay then… If you're going to be this difficult… Consider it an apology gift for making you cry so much the other day…" Yuki suggested with a shrug.

Tohru looked up at him, opening her mouth to speak, but no words came out. That day when she had found out about him had felt like the end of them. She had been terribly angry and upset with him, but she'd never wish it never happened because it had brought them that much closer. It shocked her to hear him mention it. He never brought it up, not even once. She looked down at the box, giving in. He must really want her to keep it if he had used that against her. Tohru decided to let him win.

"Thank you…"

"How can you say that when you haven't even opened it yet?" he asked with a grin.

"But I'll love whatever it is because it's from you!" Tohru quoted with a smile.

"Hey… Come up with your own sayings…" he muttered with a sheepish grin, only realizing how corny that sounded now.

Tohru didn't respond. Instead, she pulled an end of the bow, untying it. Slowly, she lifted the lid and gasped. All she could manage to do was stare at what was inside. A thin gold bracelet sat on the silky cushion with several arbutus charms dangling around. The white charms matched the one on her necklace perfectly, except they had little diamonds in the centers. Her jaw dropped, tears almost forming in her eyes. Yuki observed her face, not sure what to make of her expression.

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful…" she breathed, gingerly taking the bracelet out of the box.

"I'm glad…"

"Thank you… B-but this isn't fair… I should give you more… It's your birthday…"

Yuki slid his thumb and forefinger down his jaw to his chin as he tried to think of something that would stop her from feeling so guilty. He wasn't really succeeding in convincing her that he didn't mind getting her gifts. In fact, he enjoyed buying her things more than buying things for himself. She refused to believe that even though it was true. He held her face in between his hands. Getting fed up with something hiding her face from his eyes, he tore the mask off her face, letting the mask dangle from his wrist. His face contorted with concentration before he leaned in and kissed her on the top of her cheek.

"Okay then… How about you promise to come with me to the New Year's festival next week?" he bargained, running his lips across her face and letting them settle on the tip of her nose as he waited for her response. His lips tugged up into a smile as her cheeks darkened. He was succeeding in embarrassing her. It was the only thing he could think of to keep her from protesting too much.

"Th-that's n-no-not a g-gift!"

"It is for me… Come on… Let's go back so I can go blow out my candles and wish that you'll come to the festival after all," He said more so to himself than to her as he started towards the door, pulling her along with him.

"You can't tell me your wish! Now it won't come true!" she squeaked.

"Are you saying you won't go with me?" he peered back at her in mock horror.

"No!"

"Perfect. It's a date. Don't forget, okay?" he flashed her a smile.

Tohru looked down embarrassedly, still staring at the bracelet. How did he manage to make her agree with things so easily? He wasn't fair. She wanted to give the bracelet back to him and walk away without it, but she couldn't. He was spoiling her rotten with all these expensive gifts, and he didn't seem to care. It was like he had the concept of birthday presents backwards. Didn't he know that the guests were supposed to be giving him gifts, not the other way around? And here she thought he was the smart one. As if he knew she was questioning his intellect, he spun around at that moment. Tohru jumped back, about to apologize, but he spoke first.

"A bracelet isn't for you to hold," he chuckled.

He took the bracelet from her and hooked it around her wrist.

She just stared at the bracelet and twisted it around her wrist, unable to believe that there was something this beautiful in the world. It was amazing how perfectly their gifts matched. Almost as if destiny already had their story completely planned out, and just maybe, it'd end happily ever after…


	26. The Essence of True Love

**I promise everything in this chapter is rated T (No, it contains no lemons/limes, get your head out of the gutter :O) **

Fingering the thin gold bracelet in her hands, Tohru found her lips curved up in a smile. Seeing the piece of jewelry from Yuki never ceased to send an odd sensation through her. It was almost like a chill a person felt when getting out of bed during the cold winter months but a lot more pleasant and twice as forceful, but the joy she felt from the lustrous bracelet could hardly compare to the bliss she encountered when she was with Yuki. The bracelet was a pitiful substitute for Yuki. She could contemplate and compare her fondness for the bracelet to her complete and enduring love towards Yuki all day long, but of course, there was some place she had to be tonight.

"Onee-chan! Are you ready?" Kisa asked, popping her head into the doorway.

"I'll be down there in a minute…" Tohru replied quickly as she hooked the bracelet around her wrist.

She hurriedly wound her hair up and pinned it back with a white clip that matched the white flowers on the lilac colored kimono she was currently wearing. Tohru stole another quick glance in the mirror before trailing after Kisa. She doubted Yuki would care if she wore ripped sweat pants and a stained shirt, he'd probably still tell her how beautiful he thought she was, but she'd rather not test that theory. Tohru bounced down the stairs and out the door, unable to contain her excitement.

She hopped over to where her brother and sister stood and smiled at them, hoping she hadn't made them wait too long. Even if she had made them stand out here for a while and even if they were annoyed at her, she wouldn't be able to stop grinning. She was too delighted to do that.

Tohru was always ecstatic whenever she got to see Yuki, but tonight she was extra cheerful because she wouldn't have to sneak out to see him this time, not that she minded sneaking out for him, it was just easier this way. The problem with being this jubilant was that she hadn't considered any consequences yet. It hadn't fully crossed her mind that since Haru and Kisa were going to be in the same place she and Yuki would be, it'd be a lot easier for them to learn of her relationship with Yuki. Her brain couldn't bring itself to dwell upon the negative side of tonight. How could she think of bad things when she was standing under a full moon centered among a glowing veil of stars? Not only was it the epitome of pure beauty, but pretty soon, she'd be sharing the sight with Yuki.

"Ready?" Haru asked.

Kisa and Tohru nodded anxiously. Haru chuckled, shaking his head as he opened the gates for them. He really didn't understand why they were so excited for this. What was so fun about going to a festival and trying to catch a fish with a paper net or something like that? Well he understood Tohru's happiness since she'd be seeing Yuki, at least that was his assumption, but what in the world was getting Kisa so worked up? There wasn't going to be any food that tasted better than the food they were served at the palace, the games they had were impossible to win, and Tohru wouldn't even be with them for longer than a minute as soon as they got there.

It didn't take them long to get to town, maybe because they were walking quicker than usual or maybe because the lights that adorned the trees surrounding the path made it seem like they were at the festival sooner.

The whole town was surrounded with strings of dangling paper lanterns that lit up the place with their small flames. Stands were set up with various games and food assortments. Everyone here was dressed in variously colored kimonos, dashing here and there excitedly. As soon as Tohru stepped through the overly decorated entrance, she was already unintentionally scanning the crowds for a bob of silver hair, but she couldn't find her beloved anywhere. She had probably made her supposedly _subtle_ search a bit too obvious because Haru immediately suggested they split up.

"How about we split up and meet back here in an hour or two?"

"Okay!"

Tohru hadn't meant to answer so quickly and eagerly, but she did anyways. It was too late when she caught her mistake. The words had already gotten out and reached her siblings ears before they even registered in her head. Her mind went blank as she attempted to think of some way to explain her excited outburst. As far as they knew, she had no one she was going to meet. As far as they knew, she was going to be wandering around all by her lonesome. As far as they knew, she had no reason to want to wander around by herself…

Luckily for her, Kisa responded in the same excited manner before Tohru hurt her brain attempting to explain her reply.

By the time Tohru recovered from her shock due to the fact that neither Kisa nor Haru had questioned her, her two siblings were already several yards away from her. Tohru was about to chase after them but remembered Yuki before she took a step forward. Hoping not to run into Haru or Kisa with Yuki, she whirled around and started her search in the direction opposite of where Haru and Kisa were going. Little to her knowledge, where she headed wouldn't have affected whether she would run into Haru and Kisa or not, for as soon as she had her back turned, Haru and Kisa spun around and followed after her. Tohru was too absorbed in her task of finding Yuki to notice the soft pitter-pattering behind her.

Tohru peered around eagerly, looking for Yuki while taking a little time to admire all the decorations around her. There were so many people dressed in lovely kimonos around, but not one of them was the one she was looking for. Yuki was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she had made a mistake in going in this direction, or maybe he had forgotten. She frowned, a bit saddened by this assumption but disregarded the thought of him not remembering tonight before her heart constricted itself and cracked.

Partially due to her quick walking, somewhat because the crowds were thick, and mostly because she had slipped on the hem of her kimono and fell down, unintentionally getting consumed by the crowds, Haru and Kisa eventually lost her. They determinedly searched for her, in part, because by herself, Tohru would probably let herself get kidnapped, but they really just wanted to see her with Yuki. Tohru remained oblivious, continuing merrily down the road, still searching for Yuki. Little did she know, Yuki was looking for her as well, just at the other end of town.

She paused in her spot, her hand drifting to her lips. Tohru chewed on the edges of her nails, a habit she had recently acquired. She just had to bite her fingernails when she was anxious now. Tohru frowned, about to change her direction when a hand closed around her shoulders. She bounced up slightly before turning around with a wide grin, but who she saw standing before her wasn't who she had expected.

"Yu-"

She froze in mid sentence. This person wasn't Yuki. He was the dark haired man Yuki had warned her about a week ago. More than just disappointment washed over her. Suddenly, she was drowning in terror, and she wasn't quite sure why. For some reason other than Yuki's warning, she wanted to flee from this man. Her subconscious was warning her of something she just couldn't put her finger on. Regardless, her legs wouldn't budge. Tohru stood there, completely still and helpless. No voice could be heard coming out of her mouth even though her jaw hung open. Tohru clamped her mouth shut, gawking at him with wide eyes.

"Who were you expecting, Miss Tohru? Yuki, the prince of Kaze?" he guessed.

Her eyes just continued to stare at him in disbelief. Any trace of reasonable thinking had all but vanished from her head. The demands her brain was making of her body were all blending together. She couldn't understand any of it so her body still refused to move. Her head just spun around, leaving her befuddled and dizzy. He didn't seem bothered by her discomfort, he almost appeared pleased.

He clasped his hand over her mouth tightly, "Well your precious Yuki isn't here this time…"

Her soundless scream rang through her head as he dragged her along. He kept his hand over her mouth and the other around her waist as he pulled her along. She couldn't break out of his hold, and nobody noticed her. The festival was too crowded and noisy, and combined with his quick actions, it would have been hard for the most observant person to see her abduction. Just as she made another attempt to yank herself away from him, he released her, causing her to crash into the wall of the alley he had brought her to.

A small whimper left her lips, echoing across the narrow alleyway. She brought her hands to the back of her head and rubbed the small bump that was forming. Feeling tears spewing forth from her eyes, Tohru quickly dabbed at them, not wanting to seem as frightened and feeble as she was. Despite the throbbing of her head, Tohru took a deep breath and tried to feign resilience and strength though all she managed to do was make her pain more obvious. The expression projected didn't come close to anything relatively tough looking. She just got herself to look even more vulnerable than before.

He laughed bitterly at her actions. Even his laugh, a sound she used to think was completely harmless, sounded malicious. She swallowed nervously and took a step back towards the wall, the end of the alleyway. Tohru bit her lip, pressing herself against the bricks. She was more terrified now that she knew there was no escape. There was no way she could climb over the wall, and he was blocking her exit. Apparently, moving away from him was the wrong move to make.

Abruptly, his fingers wrapped themselves around her hair, ruining the careful arrangement and sending the clip crashing to the ground where it cracked in half. She fell towards him, wincing at the force. Her knees were bent towards the ground, her feet hardly supporting her weight. The grip he had around her hair was the only thing keeping her off the ground, and it hurt. He yanked harder on her brown locks, tilting her head upwards until she was facing him. He glowered at her for what seemed like eternity before he spoke in the most vicious tone she had ever heard.

"I'll teach you to forget who I am…" he snarled malevolently.

Tohru couldn't respond. Without warning, his hand liberated itself from her tangled hair, and she fell to the ground, ripping the bottom of her outfit and scraping her knees. Her shaky fingers slowly crept up to the scalding part of her head where several hairs had been ripped out. Her tears were falling freely now. She wouldn't have been able to restrain herself from crying if she wanted to.

He chuckled again and kneeled down before her. His hand rose rapidly, and he slapped her across the face. Tohru flinched but made no other movement. Though she kept her eyes glued to the ground, she could still see his lips curve up into a smile. His bony fingers molded themselves under her chin, turning her teary face to meet his dark eyes. He was smirking condescendingly now, suppressing laughter though not bothering to hide his sadistic expression. He tapped the tip of her nose with a pale finger, acting patronizingly gentle.

"Did I hurt you? If so, I am ever so sorry, my little slut…" He cooed in a mockingly concerned voice.

She jerked out of his hold and turned her face down, trying to avoid his eyes, but her efforts went to waste. He simply moved closer to her until his knees were pressing against her thighs, too close for comfort. Tohru wanted to move away so that his body wasn't making any contact with hers whatsoever, but with her back against the wall, there wasn't anywhere she could retreat to. His eyes ran over her, scrutinizing her several times, before he leaned forward and kissed her jaw. Tohru gasped and shuddered away from him. His arm shot out, palm locked against the wall before her face. He missed punching her face by a hair. Now she was really trapped. On her right was his arm, and on her left was his face which was gradually getting closer to hers. Tohru squeezed her eyes shut and twisted her neck so that she was facing the wall rather than him.

"My name is Akito. Do you remember me now, Tohru, my prostitute of a fiancée," he cooed into her ear, "Don't you know that when you're engaged, you aren't supposed to be seeing other men?"

Tohru's eyes dilated and her mouth slid open due to her shock. Her head slid back to its previous position so she could get another look of him. That's right. The face before her was the same one that had haunted her dreams a couple of months ago. It was dark, and it was difficult to make out many details, but there was no mistake. There was only one face that alarmed her this much. Questions started to flood her head, a million at time. Her frozen mind could only process a couple of them. Since when had those nightmares ceased to disturb her? More importantly, when had her subconscious erased him from her head?

He took her open mouth as an invitation to kiss her. His mouth covered hers before she could even figure out what was going to happen. If it was possible, her eyes widened further. She shrieked, but because he was still forcibly kissing her, her scream came out muffled and softly. What a perfect time for her vocal cords to start functioning again. She squirmed around and tried with all her might to break the kiss, but his hands held her in place. Her hands positioned themselves on his chest, and she shoved with every ounce of strength she had. It was like pushing against a mountain. She was making no progress.

Her heart beat started to speed up, and a feeling of suffocation was starting to overwhelm her. She pushed harder against him, desperate for air, and eager to terminate this repulsive kiss. Fortunately, she wasn't the only one lacking oxygen, but she didn't feel a bit better after his lips were no longer touching hers. She felt sick inside, ready to throw up. Her mouth tasted foul, and her lips ached. His kisses weren't anything like Yuki's warm and gentle ones. They were cold and harsh, but most of all unwanted. Akito left her feeling dirty and deeply ashamed.

How could she betray Yuki like that?

Tohru covered her face with both of her hands, unable to contain a single tear now. The fact that someone she didn't like was kissing her without her consent bothered her, but it wasn't what troubled her the most. She could only imagine what Yuki would say to her or do if he found out, and the pictures in her mind weren't pretty. She didn't deserve him. She knew that already. He was beyond perfect, and she wasn't. Tohru didn't need anything more like this to increase that gap between them. It wouldn't be long before he noticed that wide valley between them and found someone better.

His frigid fingers roughly tore her hands from her face and broke into her train of thoughts, "What's wrong my little whore? Do I not kiss as well as your precious prince of Kaze?"

This time, Tohru saw him start to lean towards her, ready to steal another kiss. She jerked her head to the side, barely dodging his face. He froze right before he smacked his nose against the brick wall. His smile slid down into a hostile frown. Akito made no attempt to conceal his fury towards her evasive maneuver. Tohru shut her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to find out what his face looked like now. She could practically feel the petulance emanating off of his body, and it was smoldering her skin.

"I was trying to be nice to my unfaithful fiancée and this is the thanks I get?" he growled.

"S-stop please…" Tohru whispered in a hoarse voice due to her sobbing.

"And why would I do that?" Akito cooed in a gentle voice.

Tohru huddled against the wall and squeezed her eyes shut. She knew what she should do. She should be screaming and kicking this man away from her, but her throat was dry and raspy, and he had her legs pinned down. Regardless, trying an attack would most likely do her more harm than him. Her athletic skills were limited even with her defensive training. There was only so much she could do to try and keep him from getting another kiss from her. She did what she could only think of and pressed her lips firmly together and readied herself for another slap. She heard the attack but felt no pain. Starting to believe she was going crazy or was simply numb already, she opened one eye.

Before her, she caught a glimpse of silver hair and instantly shut her eye again. Tohru choked back tears. This couldn't be happening to her. For the first time, she didn't want to see him. Why did he always have to catch her at her worst moments? She tried her hardest to disappear, but it turned out she had no teleporting skills. Tohru knew she was still here by the sounds around her. She heard another crash, Haru's voice, and rapid steps followed by complete silence. Worrying about Yuki and Haru's safety, she quickly stole a glance up. Yuki's back was turned to her, but Haru and Akito were nowhere in sight. Seeing Yuki start to turn around, she rapidly turned her head downwards.

Tohru scooted as far as she could against the corner, desperately begging for a hole to appear underneath her so she could drop down and vanish. God wasn't feeling merciful today, for the ground didn't crack open and swallow her. She settled with bringing her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and hiding her face on top. She didn't want Yuki to see her like this. He wasn't going to be happy with her, and the last thing she wanted to happen was for him to break up with her now that he could see just how weak she was. He was going to yell at her and storm off and… She held her breath, awaiting the voice that would soon tear her heart into a million microscopic pieces.

"Tohru, are you okay?" she heard a soft voice whisper.

She sniffled but didn't respond, still anticipating the wrath. Tohru bit her lip and braced herself for his anger, but nothing close to what she had predicted happened. His fingers brushed against her cheek gingerly, but that was enough to make her flinch. He immediately pulled his hand away, believing that he was scaring her though she had recoiled more so because of shock rather than fear. Tohru hesitantly lifted her head, eyeing him uneasily. Though her vision was blurred due to her tears, she could only see fret splattered across his face.

Yuki noticed her tear stained face with a pained expression. Any fury he had previous felt towards the dark haired man perished as his eyes examined her face. He could only feel worry and guilty. Why couldn't he ever rescue her in time? He winced, as if the hurt she was feeling affected him as well. His arms slid under hers, and he drew her into his arms before she could protest. He held her tightly against his chest, hating the terrified expression she wore. Yuki stroked her back slowly. Still frightened and a bit bewildered, Tohru stiffened in his arms.

"He's gone now… Don't cry… I won't let him touch you again… I promise… I'm sorry…" he breathed into her ear.

He had saved her, protected her, and was comforting her now, yet he was apologizing? How could there be so much perfection in one person? This wasn't his fault, there was no reason for him to take the blame, but he was. He wasn't even angry at her. This just made her cry harder. She burrowed her face in his chest and squeezed him with all the strength she had left. Yuki simply embraced the trembling brunette without complaint, occasionally murmuring comforting words to her.

---

Tohru lay in bed, hiding under numerous covers and pillows. She faced the wall, refusing to speak or look at anyone. She was in a state of half conscious, only vaguely aware of a maid coming inside to take away the lunch she hadn't touched yet again. Tohru couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. It was probably before the New Year's festival. She had grown frighteningly thin and hardly said a word. All she did was cower in bed now. Truthfully, she hadn't even gotten out of bed since New Year's.

She had lost all will to do anything else. Tohru curled into a ball, flipping open her cell phone for the twentieth time in the past hour. It displayed the same screen, announcing no new messages or calls. Tohru pushed down the lump in her throat, fighting the tears as she blindly dialed Yuki's phone number. She bit her lip as she listened to the phone ring and ring only to have the voice mail pick up. Tohru gripped the phone tightly, about to shut it but decided to leave another message. The last time she had seen him or heard from him was on New Years. It was almost five days later, and he hadn't responded to a single of her hundred of calls.

"Y-Yuki… I'm s-sorry… Pl-please talk to me again… I'm sorry… I di-didn't mean to l-let that happen… Please call me back… P-please…" she trailed off as she shut the phone.

She closed her eyes, letting a tear roll down her cheek and land on her already tear drenched pillow. It wasn't long before she was dragged back down to dreamland –or better known as nightmare land, seeing as all her subconscious could summon while she slept were illusions of Akito harassing her or Yuki leaving her. The latter of the two was what kept the tears cascading down her face even after she was fast asleep.

---

Yuki eyed the ringing device. He knew he wouldn't be able to refrain from answering Tohru's call if he stayed in the room. Stiffly, he sucked in a deep breath and forced himself away from the phone and stepped through the doorway, slamming the door behind him. He dropped down to the floor outside of his room and ran his fingers through his silver strands. Yuki held his breath until he heard the click of his cell phone, signaling the end of her message. He shut his eyes and banged the back of his head against the wooden door a few times before sighing

"Your highness, you have a visitor…" he heard a quiet voice announce.

He reluctantly opened his eyes and glanced up, seeing Haru standing behind a short maid. Yuki blinked a couple of times before nodding and waving away the maid. She bowed to him before scurrying down the hall. After she was out of sight, Haru took the three steps over to Yuki and yanked him up by the collar of his shirt with a deadly look. Yuki eyed the white haired teen wearily. He was positive that Haru was here about Tohru. Haru's actions and expression had made that perfectly clear.

"Where the hell have you been the past week?" Haru snapped.

Yuki sighed again and shrugged his shoulders, "Here. Where else?"

"Maybe I should rephrase. Why haven't you gone to see Tohru?"

"Because-"

"Why the hell haven't you even picked up a single one of her frickin' calls?" Haru demanded.

Haru had more than a lot to say, but he kept his mouth shut, wanting to hear what Yuki had to say before he added anything else. He slowly wrestled his fingers loose and released Yuki's shirt. Yuki landed on his feet with ease. He straightened the front of his shirt before lifting his face to meet Haru's. Despite Haru's negative outlook on Yuki's complete withdrawal from Tohru, Yuki's hardened silver eyes showed nothing but pure grief, like he was fighting just to stay here. Even now, Yuki's toes were pointed towards the door, ready to bolt out and escape to Tohru. His hands were even wrapped around a gold necklace with an arbutus charm that matched one Haru had seen Tohru wear before. Haru's assumptions and Yuki's attitude now simply didn't coincide.

"Have you ever thought that maybe her life would be easier if she had never met me? Happier even? That… That guy…" Yuki could hardly bring himself to speak of the vile man, "That guy wouldn't have tried to rape Tohru if she wasn't interested in me…"

Haru stared at Yuki for a moment and shut his eyes. He let out a deep breath before reopening them. His expression was calmer now, more composed but still as deadly. He raised his hand, like he was going to punch Yuki in the face, and flicked out a finger, jabbing Yuki in the chest three times before muttering something unintelligible in an exasperated voice. He partly rolled his eyes before responding, "You're wrong."

Yuki's face shot up to Haru's, completely caught off guard. That wasn't what he had anticipated to hear. Not even close. He had prepared himself for more yelling and possibly violence but nothing remotely close to what had come out of Haru's mouth. It was too tranquil to be coming from someone who had yanked him off the ground by the collar of his shirt just moments ago. Not only did his tone baffle him, but so did the words. What could he possibly mean by that? Yuki was speechless. Seeing no reason to try to put something coherent together, he kept silent and waited for Haru to explain.

"You got your thinking all backwards. Do you really think that if Tohru didn't know you, it'd make that rapist a better person? If you didn't know her… If you hadn't gotten there in time… He really would have violated her…"

Yuki shook his head slowly, "He wouldn't have had a reason to… She could have loved him instead of me…"

"Save this crap for another day. If you're going to stop seeing her, why don't you choose a better time? Do you have to give her another reason to cry when she's already crying nonstop? And here I thought you were the same Yuki as before! The same person who always had Tohru's needs and wants before his own!" Haru snapped ferociously.

"I _am_ thinking about her wants and needs." Yuki struggled to keep his voice under control which was turning out to be an unbelievably difficult task, seeing as he just learned that he was making Tohru cry. He loathed anyone and anything that caused Tohru anguish, and now he was the source of her agony. How was he supposed to react to that? He gritted his teeth together and fought to stay in place. It had been nearly impossible to stay away from Tohru before he knew of this. Of course, he had his suspicions of her misery, but now that someone had confirmed his beliefs, he could no longer lie to himself and make himself believe that she was happier without him intruding in on her life.

"Then why can't you see that she needs you? You're the thing she needs and wants most right now. Why aren't you thinking about that? You can stay here and pretend that she's okay, that she's getting better, but I have to go home and see a girl slowly killing herself… Did you know that she's practically androphobic now? He may have her frightened half to death, but you're the one who makes her cry!" Haru yelled at him.

Yuki kept silent. His face gave none of his thoughts away. Outside, he seemed cool, collected, like the words Haru had said had no effect on him at all, but that was the complete opposite of what he really felt. Inside, he was being smothered in a chaotic mess of various emotions. He wasn't sure which overpowered the rest, his anger at himself for making Tohru cry, his denial of how much Tohru was suffering now, his regret for even trying to avoid Tohru at a time like this, or his plain disbelief at her reaction. Haru gauged Yuki's face for a minute before tossing his arms up in frustration.

"Forget it. Stay here and do nothing. But don't you dare change your mind. Don't you **ever** come near my sister again. She doesn't need any more of this shit," he snarled as he tossed something at Yuki.

Yuki caught the object easily.

"Keep that. It's bad luck."

Yuki didn't open his fist until Haru was already at the stairs, but by the texture, he could tell what it was. His fingers slowly peeled themselves back, revealing the shiny ornament. In the middle of his palm sat the gold bracelet he had given to Tohru on his birthday. Yuki's fingers closed around the accessory instantly. He shut his eyes and cursed under his breath. His hand tightened around the adornment, letting the fury he held towards himself out on the bracelet. Quickly, his fist flew open before he crushed his present for Tohru. He pocketed the bracelet and the necklace Tohru had given to him before either of them broke. No need to give her more reasons to be upset with him.

"How could I be so stupid…" he muttered to himself.

He slammed his fist against the door once before darting inside his room. Yuki grasped his cell phone in his hand and quickly dialed Tohru's number, but she didn't pick up. He swore again before tossing the cell phone aside, not bothering to check to see where it had landed. He tore open the window and hopped out swiftly. He landed silently on his feet before continuing across the long stretch of grass, hidden amongst thick greenery and the dark. He dashed through the forest as fast as he could, ignoring the burning sensation that was devouring his lungs and the complaints he received from his legs.

Yuki gripped the bracelet tightly within his hand. Bad luck or not, that was for her to decide though he wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to see it or him anymore. He already regretted his decision to give her space or whatever it was he was trying to do before. What _was_ he trying to do again? He couldn't even remember what excuses his mind had conjured up to convince him to avoid her. He wasn't even sure why he even tried when he knew he wouldn't be able to stay away for very long even if it'd do her good. He wasn't that selfless, and he wanted her.

He only slowed down when he arrived at the walls surrounding the castle.

It didn't take him long to traverse the castle wall and break in through Tohru's window. He wasn't exactly sure how he knew it was Tohru's room, probably some memory his body had from the past, but it surely was Tohru's room, seeing as Tohru was asleep on the bed in the corner. Her back was turned towards him, but he could recognize those brown locks anywhere, even in the state they were in now, dull and dry due to malnutrition. As he took a few steps closer to her, he cringed, starting to see how drastic his stupid efforts to make her life_better_ had been. How thin she was before was nothing compared to now. He swore he could wrap his hand around one of her legs, and the tips of his fingers would meet each other.

Her slow breaths were the only signs of life he received from her. She was pale enough to pass as a corpse, and that scared him more than anything ever had before. He crept over silently, partially dreading waking her. He didn't want to wake his angel, but if what Haru had said was true, he wanted to fix this before Tohru got any worse. His fingers extended towards her, determined to rouse her out of her slumber, but it took ten more tries before they ever made contact with her frigid skin.

As soon as his fingers grazed her arm, her eyes shot open. He jumped back, not expecting the abrupt movement. Her eyes followed him and widened. She stared for a moment, saying nothing before tears erupted out of her large brown eyes. Tohru hurled her blanket off of her and hopped out of bed. She leapt up at him, tossing her arms around him and locking them around his neck. She squeezed him tightly. Her grasp was practically choking him, but he didn't care. He deserved to be choked to death or worse for what he had done to someone he supposedly loved. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing. By the sound of her cries, he couldn't tell whether they were out of joy or grief.

"Yuki! Yuki… Oh… Yuki-kun…" she wept, unable to say anything but his name for some minutes.

He stood there wordlessly. Yuki kept his arms locked around her waist firmly, for they were the only things keeping her upright. Her feet made no contact with the ground, and he was sure that even if they were, they wouldn't have enough strength to hold her frail body up. In fact, he was shocked that she was able to leap out of bed like that and cling to him. Yuki despised himself even more as his hands ran up her spine which stuck out more than it should. He could barely feel any flesh on her body, and the worst part was that he caused this.

"I- I love you… I'm s-sorry Yuki-kun… I re-really do love y-you! I d-didn't mean to let that ha-happen… Pl-please don't b-be mad…" Tohru choked out between her sniffles and hiccups.

As soon as he heard her words, his forehead creased with confusion. Why was she apologizing to him? Did she honestly believe she was at fault here? He instantly pulled back, unable to let her continue sputtering out apologies and taking the blame. Yuki placed his hands over her cheeks. His thumbs slid under her eyes, wiping the tears away. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead delicately, careful not to scare her. He rested his forehead against hers. Yuki could tell how baffled she was. He could see the bewilderment behind the glistening tears in her eyes. He blew out his breath before starting. Not overly eager to see her reaction to his words, he embraced her again, obscuring his face from her view.

"First… Please stop apologizing to me. You did nothing wrong… I don't deserve your apologies… I'm the one who should be saying sorry… I'm the stupid one…" he muttered into the nape of her neck, "I should be on my knees begging for your forgiveness…"

After a brief moment of silence, his eyes flashed up to her shocked ones. He had been too impatient to wait for a response from her, and she didn't look like she was going to speak anytime soon. All her reaction seemed to be was a magnification of her previous disorientation and shock. She seemed to doubt his words. His eyebrows knitted together as he tried to think of a way to convince her that any anger he had was directed at himself, not at her. Maybe he should show her how serious he was. His eyes scanned her dangerously thin legs and frowned. He tightened his hold on her and carried her over to her bed. He set her down gently –still doubting her ability to stand on her own- before he took a step back and dropped down to his knees, bending over until his forehead touched the ground.

"I have no right to request your forgiveness, but I'm truly sorry for ignoring you the past week… If it's not too much to ask, please understand that I did it with your benefit in mind, not because I don't love you…"

"Y-Yuki…" she stuttered, not quite sure what to make of this.

He lifted his head at her, gazing at her intently. Her face still had her surprise painted all over it, but it looked like most of the skepticism was gone. Tohru frowned slightly, seeing no reason for him to be begging for_her _forgiveness. She wanted to apologize to him. After all, he wasn't the one who was kissed by someone else. If she could get her legs to move, she would have waltzed over to him and apologized, but her body wasn't listening to her pleas to move, and he didn't look like he'd let her say sorry. She lifted her arms up slightly, gesturing for him to come back towards her. Yuki smiled faintly before moving over to her. He dropped his head down on her lap after he encircled her waist with his arms.

"Please say you'll forgive me…" he murmured.

Tohru peered at his form as a small smile graced her features, comprehension finally reaching her head. So he wasn't angry at her. That's all she needed to hear besides that he still loved her and wanted to see her. She plopped her head on top of his back as her arms slithered under to wrap around his midriff. Tohru snuggled against his warm back, grinning so wide that the edges of her mouth started to sting.

"I was never mad at you… I just thought you didn't like me anymore…" Tohru breathed.

"Not possible… I can never not like you… I can't stop loving you…" he responded.

"I love you…"

Two voices merged as one. Those three words spoken truly by two people entranced with love need not two voices, just one. True love was tacit yet clearly evident, for love is not a verbal concept, nor just physically expressed but a mutual feeling shared by two people. And the bond between Yuki and Tohru was clearly the pure essence of true love.

**Sorry about the long wait D: Hope it wasn't too rushed. Review and correct the million mistakes in here, despite my hours of editing, please. **


	27. More Than Enough

That day started out like any other. Tohru sat squished between Haru and Kisa, her 'protectors'. She laughed at something Haru said and smiled. She was recovering from her little rendezvous with Akito rather quickly, or so it seemed. Part of it was due to her peppy personality, she didn't let many things keep her down, but most of it was because of Yuki.

When he had saved her from Akito, she knew he would be there to rescue her again and again in the future, regardless of whatever her problem might be. Even if he couldn't be there to save her, she had a hunch that he'd definitely help her get through any of her troubles. Since his visit with her, she had been acting a lot more normal. She was almost comfortable amongst men again, but the key word there was almost. She still jumped back when they got too close to her or whenever one touched her, and she was still shaky when she was in dark areas –she slept with the light on nowadays. Other than those minor tidbits, she was the same Tohru.

Without Yuki though, she'd probably still be hiding in her room. It made sense though, since what had really scared her was the thought of losing Yuki, not so much Akito. Of course, Akito was the one who made her wary around men, but he really did nothing more than make her avoid males. Yuki's sudden silence was what had slowly killed her inside. Perhaps, it was dangerous to be this attached to someone, but she had no doubt in her mind that if she tried to distance herself from him, she'd die. Maybe not instantly, but when one's heart was cruelly shredded into thousands of pieces, living just became impossible.

It was very difficult for her to fully trust him now, hard for her to go through a day without seeing him and still have faith in him, but he was trying unbelievably hard to keep her feeling secure. He came to see her every night with a flower or small trinket he had picked up at town to remind her of the outside world since she wasn't up to leaving the sanctuary of her room yet -she had a drawer full of little presents from him now. He'd stay for at least an hour and listen to her talk about her fears so he could comfort her, or he'd just come to keep her company. It didn't seem to bother him when she had nothing to say. Yuki still came, indifferently. He'd stay with her most nights until she was fast asleep.

"Hey, Tohru, I'm glad you're smiling again…" Haru commented.

Tohru grinned, about to reply when her aunt called her.

"Tohru!"

She turned around and gave her aunt a half-hearted smile. In response, her aunt waved her over impatiently with a quick flap of her hand. Tohru pushed herself up and told Haru and Kisa where she was going before she anxiously approached her aunt. She bowed respectfully to the queen, and then there was silence. Her aunt simply stared at her for a minute, making Tohru uncomfortable. Tohru shifted her weight from one foot to the other awkwardly, waiting for her aunt to speak.

"Tohru, go pack your belongings. You'll need enough clothes to last a week."

"Pack? Are we going somewhere?"

"_You_'llbe spending a week at Akito-sama's castle. He'll be overseas for some time, so he has graciously invited you over," Oubasan explained slowly.

Tohru's eyes shot wide open. She jumped backwards immediately and covered her chest with both of her arms. Shaking her head furiously, she took a few baby steps away from her aunt. Akito was the last person she wanted to see. She shuddered at the thought of him. He had done things to her that she'd rather not dwell upon. She didn't want to see him ever again. He terrified her! There was no way she could live under the same roof as him for seven whole days and nights! Tohru would die if she stayed there, yet she couldn't bring herself to tell her aunt about what had happened, though, knowing her aunt, she probably wouldn't even care.

"No… No… No, no, no!!! I don't want to go there! I can't!!!" Tohru squealed, clasping her hands over her ears in a frenzy.

The traumatized girl continued to shriek refusals until her aunt slapped her across her face. Tohru blinked in shock before beginning to cry. Her tears stung her eyes, and her body trembled as she wept. Hearing the strike, Haru and Kisa turned around and saw Tohru sobbing. Promptly, they darted to her side. Haru wrapped his arm around Tohru's shoulders, pulling her towards him. Kisa stood by her other side, asking what was wrong, but all Tohru did was shake her head in response.

"What did you do to her?" Haru demanded angrily.

"How dare you accuse me?! I didn't do a thing!" Oubasan hollered.

"I can't stay… I can't stay with him…" Tohru whispered before breaking out of Haru's hold and sprinting away. She ran past the gates before her aunt could order the guards to stop her or to close the gates. Tohru continued to run and run until she collapsed by the lake. She lied there, curled up in a ball, barely out of reach of the tide. Her breaths came out rapidly in attempt to regain her breath. The snow was cold, but it was strangely comforting. It helped her burning skin cool down. After a few minutes, she began to shiver. She had completely forgotten to wear a thicker coat. Tohru pulled her thin jacket closer around her body and sneezed.

"Tohru…"

Tohru lurched forward and tensed in terror. It was Akito coming to harass her again, wasn't it? Or was it a guard coming to bring her back home? She spun around fretfully and found herself staring into warm gray eyes hardly five inches from her own.

"Yuki-kun…" she breathed quietly. She gazed at him for a moment before tears slid down her face again. In an instant, he had her drawn into his warm embrace. Tohru pressed her face into his chest, sobbing. She let him hear her cry and comfort her. For once, she didn't try to choke back her tears at all. Yuki didn't question her for the cause of her tears, he just held her. He naturally assumed she was crying because of some passing thought about Akito. It took her a few minutes, but she finally stopped crying and apologized to Yuki.

"I'm sorry… I got your coat all wet…" Tohru whispered as she pulled away from Yuki. Her hands still shook as they gripped his jacket.

"You're the one who's cold, and if you don't mind a tear drenched coat…" Yuki trailed off as he removed the black jacket he was wearing and wrapped it around Tohru.

Tohru sat there, enjoying the warmth of his coat. She let his body heat that still clung to the coat seep into her body and chase away the coldness she had felt a second ago. Her kindhearted nature would only let her keep Yuki's coat a minute longer before she made an attempt to remove it. She couldn't take his coat away from him when she could see the clouds of air leave his mouth, but Yuki grabbed her wrists before she could even pull an arm out of a sleeve. Baffled and a bit alarmed, Tohru flinched.

"Don't you dare take it off. Your lips are practically blue," Yuki pointed out.

"But-"

Yuki cut her off before she could say anymore, "I'm fine. You're colder than I am. You're the one I'm worried about."

She hung her head in defeat. Tohru didn't feel right being the only person who got to be warm. She could tell he was cold as well by the pink edges of his ears and nose. Tohru leaned towards Yuki and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, trying to cover as much of his body as possible. Bewildered, Yuki sat there, unable to comprehend her actions. He thought she'd be a lot more uncomfortable around him because of Akito, but here she was, hugging him. Tohru snuggled up against him before murmuring, "If you want me to wear your coat, then let me be yours…"

He blushed faintly, but he let her remain there. Yuki wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers. He'd choose this over his coat any day. He kissed her on top of her head and stroked her back, hoping to provide her with some comfort at least. Frankly, Yuki was a bit startled to find her outside. In over a month, she hadn't set foot out of her bedroom. He wasn't quite sure what compelled her to come here, but he could see something was bothering her. Akito had been what was troubling her, but her thoughts had startled analyzing the words that had drifted out of her mouth. Only now realizing exactly what she had said to Yuki, Tohru became flustered, "I can't believe I said that… I can't believe…"

Tohru pulled away from him, now downright humiliated to have said that out loud. She didn't get very far away from him though. Yuki kept his arms around her, giving her a bit of a confused look. She looked down, unable to meet his gaze. He smiled and latched himself to her with a tight embrace, "But that was adorable… You're so cute… I could hold you forever…"

He hugged her, slightly against her will until she relaxed. She timidly slipped her arms around him with a smile. They stayed there for a while until Yuki stood up and held his hand out to her, deciding that even with his coat around her shoulders, it was too cold for her to be outside for this long. Tohru stared blankly at his hand. He didn't wait for her to begin to comprehend. Yuki gently grabbed her wrists and pulled her to her feet.

"Come on… I'm sure you've been out long enough to make your family suspicious. We don't want to get caught. Now, do we?" Yuki smiled at her.

Tohru gasped, "Wait! Um… I don't want to go back!"

She yanked her hands out of his. Expecting much more of a fight from Yuki, she pulled too far back and lost her balance. Tohru fell backwards, hitting her head on a chunk of jagged ice. Her eyes shot open before shutting. Her falling body had just missed the tips of his outstretched hands by less than an inch. He cursed and immediately dropped down to her side, lifting her up and calling her name. Hearing no response, he moved her onto his lap and took her pulse. Feeling the steady beat, he let out a sigh of relief. Yuki called her name once more before checking the back of her head. He felt a small bump and a dribble of blood, but nothing too serious. Yuki picked her up as a groom would carry a bride through the threshold, not sure what to do. She should be examined by a doctor just in case, but the only doctor he knew was Hatori.

---

It was the middle of the night when Tohru finally regained consciousness. She awoke to a large dim room that she didn't recognize. An expensive looking lamp on a nightstand beside her was left on. Everything in the room looked fancy and pricey like the furniture in her room, but unlike her room, this one hardly looked civilized. There wasn't a thing in here that looked personal. Tohru pushed herself up into a sitting position, much to the dismay of her head. The back of her head throbbed painfully. Raising her hand, she found a bandage wrapped around her head. Attempting to raise her other hand, she found it restrained. Dumbfounded, she glanced down at her hand and found in enveloped by a different hand. Her eyes followed the hand to the arm, then to the soft silvery hair bushing over the shoulder, and then, finally to the man kneeling beside the bed she was in. His face was turned away from her, but she knew who it was.

"Yuki-kun…" she breathed, using her other hand to shake his shoulder.

Her prince turned his face towards her, but he was still fast asleep. She couldn't help but giggle at this. Tohru shook him again, a little harder and quicker this time. She had a pretty good idea about her location, but she still wanted a confirmation. Besides, she didn't know what had happened. The last thing she remembered was jerking her hand out of his. Tohru continued to shake him until his eyes fluttered open.

At this, Tohru stopped shaking him and opened her mouth to speak, but as soon as she stopped moving him, his eyes shut again. Tohru gaped at him before shaking him again. He pulled away from her and sank down onto the floor, still asleep. Determinedly, Tohru hopped off of the bed, kneeling beside him and shaking his whole body. Yuki groaned before locking his arms around her and trapping her down in a lying position. Tohru blinked, seeing as she was now unable to move. He had her hands pressed against his chest, and his arms were locked around her waist. He let out a sigh, obviously content with the tranquility.

"Yuki-kun… Yuki-kun, Yuki-kun! Yuki-kun!!!" Tohru called louder and louder.

After a few minutes of calling his name, Yuki finally opened his eyes and stared at her until the signs of sleep faded from his face. Abruptly, he released her and slid away with wide eyes. Tohru gazed innocently back at him and smiled. Yuki opened his mouth and shut it before rubbing his eyes in disbelief. When he opened his eyes once again and found her still in front of him, he extended a finger towards her, asking, "What are you doing here, Tohru?"

"B-but that's what I'm supposed to ask you! The last thing I remember is pulling my hand away from you by the lake…" Tohru pointed out as she put her finger on the bottom of her lip, a habit of hers when she thought over things.

Yuki thought over this for a second before he remembered what had happened several hours ago, "Oh… You're right. Sorry. You fell backwards and hit your head… By the way, does your head hurt a lot? I can go get you some painkillers if you want…"

"My head hurts a little, but you don't have to go do that Yuki-kun… Umm… Where are we?" Tohru murmured shyly.

He looked away from her before breathing, "My room… I'm sorry… I know it's a little awkward, but I couldn't take you down to the infirmary or leave you in a guest room because then someone might find you, and we'll both get in trouble. I didn't want to take you back to your place either, because well, you said you didn't want to go there, and I thought it'd be a bit odd… The only place I could think of was mine. I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable. I didn't do anything inappropriate to you if that's what you're thinking. I mean… I did change you out of your clothes because they got wet from the snow, but I promise I didn't do anything but switch your clothing."

"Yuki-kun… It's okay. Thank you. I'm glad you did all of that. If you didn't, I'd probably have a cold right now," Tohru smiled as she looked down at herself. She hadn't realized before, but she was dressed in loose black sweat pants and a blue button down shirt with sleeves that hung over the tips of her fingers instead of her light pink sweater and black skirt.

"Well I had my cousin, he's a doctor, look over you, and he said that your head should be completely healed in about two weeks," Yuki informed her, "And if you don't mind, may I ask why we're laying on the floor together? I thought I let you have my bed…?"

"Oh! You did! You see… I was trying to wake you up, and you fell over, then I tried to wake you again, and you hugged me," Tohru explained matter-of-factly.

Yuki simpered embarrassedly before examining her face for signs of offense but found none. Tohru just smiled at him. He reached forward, placing his hand on her cheek with complete admiration. Sometimes he hated being a zombie after sleeping, but he'd live with it as long as she had no problem with it. He knew his mother had an issue with him taking an hour or so to actually wake up, and she didn't try to hide it, but maybe that's because he accidentally walked into the room where she kept her collection of valuable vases and broke most of them five years ago. Oddly, he felt worse for dragging Tohru onto the ground than he did when he knocked about fifty vases over. Lucky for him, Tohru wasn't furious like his mother had been.

"You're amazing. Do you know that?" Yuki grinned at her.

"Eh? M-me?"

"Yes you. Who else might I be referring to?"

"B-but I didn't do anything amazing! You're the one who carried me here and took care of me. You're the one who always saves me when I'm in trouble… I never did… I never did a thing for you!" Tohru stammered embarrassedly.

"No. _You_'rethe one who saves me. Any guy can carry a girl and have a doctor look her over; any guy could punch a jerk, but not any girl can forgive a guy who did all the things I've done to you…" Yuki whispered to her.

He removed his hand from her cheek and flipped over onto his back. Glaring up at the ceiling, he combed through his hair with his fingers angrily, "I can't believe I actually ignored you for a week while you were crying…"

Tohru blinked back tears. She hated thinking back to those days. She understood his reasoning for ignoring her, and she didn't blame him for it. She didn't love him any less because of it. If anything, she loved him more since the day he returned to her. That week was like a painful reminder of how she should never take any moment she spent with him for granted, for it could end at any minute in any day, and she didn't want him to be sad or angry at himself for any of the seconds she got with him. Tohru scooted over by him, laid her head on his chest, and slid her arms around his neck. He stiffened for a moment, clearly not expecting her embrace, before encircling her midriff with his own pair of arms.

"I don't blame you Yuki… I still love you… I love you a lot… And… You should know that any guy _can_ do those things, but not any guy _would_… Besides, everything you did that made me sad, I know you did because you wanted me to be happy… I know you kept your status from me because you didn't want me to worry, and I know you didn't answer my calls for a week because you thought that… that w-what happened to me was your fault… but it's n-not…"

"It's not your fault either…" Yuki breathed, caressing her long brown hair.

Tohru smiled faintly before craning her neck upwards and pressing her lips against his cheek. They were both a little stunned by her actions. Tohru's fingers drifted over her mouth, hovering there as her previous maneuver replayed in both of their heads. She had never been the type of person who initiated anything romantic, but what Yuki really found confounding was the fact that she had been able to kiss him –even though it was only on the cheek- with a smile. She had made it perfectly clear to him that physical affection wasn't something she was comfortable with yet over the past month with her unintentional shuddering and retreats when he came too close to her. She withdrew from his touch a lot less recently, but he hardly deemed her prepared for a peck. Though, as she backed away now, he could tell it was because her actions hadn't been thought through, not out of discomfort. He smiled, resting his hand on the back of her neck.

"I love you too Tohru… But maybe you shouldn't love someone so inferior…"

"I don't."

Her blatant answer caught him off guard. Not only was it highly unlike her to say those two words, but the tone was not of her character either. She had sounded so confident and firm, nowhere close to her usual timidity, not that he wanted her to feel insecure, he was just shocked, and his expression portrayed his emotions well. He looked startled with his silver eyes strained wide open and slightly frightened. Was it possible that she had fallen out of love with him since the last time he had gone to see her? Or had it started on New Years, and he had just interpreted her flinching incorrectly? His head whirled around with various assumptions as he stared at her incredulously, so honestly taken aback that she had to suppress a giggle.

She smiled and finished her statement, "I love someone superior…"

There was no hiding the flash of relief that filled Yuki's face. He pushed himself upwards, bringing her along with him and hugged her tightly, "My point exactly. You're amazing."

Yuki held her for a second longer before picking her up and standing up. Tohru's eyes bulged with bashfulness as she gripped his shirt tightly. She didn't say anything, but her eyes begged him to put her down before her whole body flared red with embarrassment. Yuki ignored her soundless plea until he reached his bed. There, he set her down, careful with her head as he tucked her in under the covers. He kissed her on the forehead and whispered a goodnight before he stood up. Tohru grabbed his hand before he could turn off the light and leave. In return, Yuki glanced at her questioningly.

"Um… Where are you going to sleep Yuki-kun?"

"The couch," Yuki answered nonchalantly.

"Eh?! That's not fair! I shouldn't stay in your bed-"

Yuki clasped his hand over her mouth before she could utter another word. His eyes darted to the door as he listened for any signs that someone had heard Tohru's squeals. After two minutes of complete silence, Yuki let out a relieved breath and looked back at Tohru. He removed his hand from her face apologetically and sheepishly fixed the strands of hair that he had been swept across her eyes due to his rashness. She blinked, still looking baffled. He covered her hand with his, checking to make sure that she wasn't irked at him before he spoke.

"Please don't yell… We'll get caught, understand?" Yuki murmured to her.

Tohru nodded regretfully. Yuki kissed her cheek this time before he turned the lamp off, "Well then, good night my princess… Sweet dreams. I'll see you in the morning…"

Tohru sat up and threw her hands forward in attempt to capture his arm again to stop him from leaving, but her fingers closed around air. She frowned. She wanted to argue more about her staying in his bed, but he was too far away to be able to hear her whispers, and she knew now that if she called him, they might get caught. She could walk over to him, but she was too tired. She vaguely saw Yuki drop down onto the couch in the corner of the room before she dozed off.

Morning came too soon. Tohru slowly opened her eyes and found a pair of golden eyes less than a foot from her face. The eyes went along with a wide open mouth that was grinning at her. It took her sleepy brain a minute to realize that someone she didn't know had been watching her while she slept. A scream left her mouth before she could hold it in. She fell off Yuki's bed before she knew it. Hearing the scream, Yuki was up in a second –a new personal record- and at Tohru's side. He quickly tossed his blanket over her head and whacked Ayame on top of his head just before his door swung open, and over ten guards charged into his room, armed with various weapons.

"My brother screams like a girl," Yuki made up quickly as he pointed lamely at Ayame.

The guards looked skeptical, but who were they to question the prince? They shuffled and muttered amongst themselves, unsure of what to do. Tohru was still a bit frightened and confused, but she kept silent. She had seen Yuki and knew he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. She just hoped nothing bad would happen to him. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried her best not to make any movements that would draw anyone's attention to the blanket she was under. Yuki stood uncomfortably in front of Tohru, wishing the guards would just leave already. If they stood there any longer, they just might realize that a blanket couldn't possibly make a pile as high as Tohru's kneeling form.

"You may all go. None of you are needed. I apologize for making you all run up here," Yuki told them as he eyed the door.

They exchanged uneasy looks before bowing to both Yuki and Ayame and leaving. Yuki followed them to the door and watched them all march down the hallway then down the stairs. When Yuki was sure they were out of hearing range, Yuki shut his bedroom door and locked it. Taking a deep breath, he lingered there a second longer before he strode over to Ayame and whacked him on the head again. Without another word, he kneeled down beside the bundle on the floor and peeled the blanket off of Tohru, searching for any injury other than the one on her head. Tohru peered back at him and smiled weakly.

"Are you hurt at all?" he asked her worriedly.

"No… I'm fine… But I'm sorry. I got us caught, didn't I?" Tohru whispered nervously.

"Oh, him? Don't worry about him. He's just an idiot. He wouldn't tell a soul or I'd kill him," Yuki said in a warning tone as he glanced back at Ayame, "By the way, what are you doing in my room? If you don't have a good reason, I'm going to throw you out."

"Me? Why I was just strolling in here for my regular midnight visit when I found a lovely lady in your bed instead of you. So, my dearest little brother, were you making children?" Ayame asked seriously.

"No! You idiot!" Yuki fumed in an irked manner before adding, "She hit her head. Go ask Hatori if you don't believe me."

Ayame gasped, "You told Haa-san Tohru-kun is here before me, your dear brother?"

Yuki was about to retort when Tohru stuttered in a small voice, "How do y-you know my n-name?"

Both men turned their attention back to the small brunette who was cowering beside the bed. She gripped the blanket tightly in her fists, keeping the blanket locked around her body. Ayame smiled and bounced over to her, bending over until his face was only a couple of inches away from hers. Tohru backed away slightly, still uncomfortable around men thanks to Akito. The only males who she allowed to touch her were Yuki and Haru. Either Ayame wasn't aware of the rape or he just simply didn't care because he grabbed her wrist and plopped a kiss directly on top of her hand.

"Yuki talks about you all the time," Ayame answered.

Tohru yanked her hand away from Ayame in a frightened manner. She scooted away from him until her back hit Yuki's nightstand. The lamp wobbled, about to fall off and give Tohru another head injury, but Yuki steadied it in time. Tohru didn't even glance up at Yuki. She couldn't look away from Ayame, afraid that if she took her eyes off of him for a second, he'd attack her. She didn't really trust or like this Ayame character yet. Ayame glanced back at Yuki, not understanding why Tohru would be so scared of him. The Tohru he remembered was trusting of everybody. Yuki didn't explain why. He just grabbed Ayame by the elbow and dragged him away from Tohru.

"You talking about me talking to you does not count as me telling you about Tohru. So leave already," Yuki demanded.

"Bu-but I cannot leave!" Ayame protested.

"Yes, you can, and you will," Yuki muttered as he shoved Ayame out the door and bolted it shut.

With everyone finally out of the way, Yuki went back to comfort Tohru. As soon as he saw her, he could tell she was thinking about Akito –something he'd rather not have her even remember. Silently, he sat down beside her and pressed her face into his chest, letting her cry. He wrapped his arms around her thin shaking shoulders, trying to calm her down. Yuki hated to see her in so much pain. He despised this man who tried to rape his angel. Akito had left scars that damaged Tohru inside and out. He even loathed Ayame at the moment for reminding her of New Years. Tohru wept for a few minutes before Yuki's warm arms and soothing words calmed her down. She looked up at him with teary eyes before slipping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly. Yuki stroked her long brown hair, grateful that she still let him touch her. If she was frightened of his touch, he didn't know what he'd do.

---

Yuki reluctantly left Tohru an hour later. He would have stayed with her the whole day, but if he never left his room, someone would come here looking for him sooner or later and find Tohru with him. Besides, he needed to bring her back something to eat. As soon as Yuki left his room, Ayame was at his side. They both walked in silence for a few minutes. Ayame was in a serious mood, and because of this rare attitude of his, Yuki knew exactly what was on his brother's mind. He wanted to know what was wrong with Tohru.

"She's been through… She's been through some tough things, alright? You could say she has a pretty bad perspective on the male gender at the moment… She's scared of men," Yuki told him before Ayame could even ask.

Ayame was quiet for a minute, digesting what Yuki had just said before commenting, "I'm glad she's not scared of you."

"Yeah… Me too…" Yuki replied, "Nii-san, can you do me a favor and watch over her so no one finds her until I come back?"

Ayame nodded before scurrying back to Yuki's room. Yuki hurried down the stairs to the kitchen. He grabbed a tray and took more breakfast than usual, heaped it onto his plate, hid a second plate under his, and took an extra fork. Yuki muttered something about eating in his room and refused any offers of help before rushing back upstairs. He wasn't sure that Tohru would be very comfortable being alone in a room with Ayame. There was no time in his life that he had cursed the long stretches of hallways more than he did now.

---

"Please forgive me Tohru-kun. It was never my intention to scare you," Ayame apologized to the brunette who was still huddled under Yuki's covers in Yuki's bed. Tohru shifted awkwardly underneath the soft, blue blanket and pulled the comforter up to her chin. Ayame bowed to her, and Tohru couldn't help but inch away from him.

"It's okay…" she breathed quietly.

Neither of them could get in another word before Yuki's door opened. Tohru's face lit up, obviously believing the person to be Yuki, but instead of her silver haired lover, a dark haired man in a dark green kimono came in calling for Yuki. His jaw dropped when he spotted Tohru where he expected Yuki to be. Tohru gasped, hoping this man wasn't someone who would tell everyone of her presence here. To her surprise, the man ran over to her and threw his arms around her neck. Her eyes shot wide open out of shock, discomfort, and fear. He continued to embrace her tightly until Ayame pulled him off.

Shigure gave Ayame a quizzical look but shrugged it off as he went back to looking at Tohru. She was practically hiding under the covers now. The two men exchanged looks, unsure of what to do with the now crying girl. Shigure made an attempt to console her, but she only cried harder. Ayame -knowing that since they were men, they would provide no comfort to the girl- pulled Shigure away from her, hoping that would help her feel at ease, but she continued to sob.

"W-Where's Yuki-kun? I want Yuki-kun!" Tohru choked out. She balled her hands into fists and wiped at her tears, wishing Yuki would come and make the strange men go away already. She knew she was acting like a child, but she couldn't stop her tears. It was her body's natural instinct to shed tears if a man besides Yuki or Haru made any physical contact with her. Tohru kept weeping, hiding her blotchy face with both of her hands.

Ayame and Shigure muttered amongst themselves, trying to pick on of them to go get Yuki before the poor brunette wore herself out. Shigure was more curious to learn why Tohru was here in the first place and what had caused her tears though. Seeing as Ayame seemed to know the answers, Shigure constantly pestered the long haired man to explain while Tohru continued to whimper and ask for Yuki. Shigure and Ayame were making no progress. This scene of Tohru crying and Shigure and Ayame bickering was what Yuki walked in on. He nearly dropped the tray he was holding onto. Practically tossing the food onto a nearby table, Yuki shoved past Ayame and Shigure. He sat down by Tohru, and she immediately latched herself onto him.

"What the hell did you two do to her?" Yuki demanded in an irritated voice.

"Nothing at all!" Shigure responded.

"Then why is she crying?" Yuki interrogated them.

Ayame shook his head slowly and dragged Shigure out the door with him, hoping that without them there, the princess would feel better. Yuki glared at the two of them as they left, but he didn't try to make them stay and answer his questions. Cheering Tohru up was more important to him than that. Tohru tugged at Yuki's shirt, burying her face into his chest. Yuki sighed, deciding to let his brother and cousin get away with making Tohru cry this one time. He looked down at Tohru and hugged the girl seated upon his lap. She sniffled a couple of times before glancing up at Yuki. Yuki smiled at her and brushed her bangs back.

She beamed weakly back at him. Yuki gestured to the tray on the table, "How about some breakfast?"

Tohru didn't say anything. She just wrapped both of her arms around his. Yuki peered down at her, awaiting an answer, but he got none. He shifted a bit, and Tohru moved with him. Laughing uneasily, he stood up and Tohru got up with him, still holding onto his arm. Yuki awkwardly took a step forward, and Tohru followed clumsily, seeming to have as much trouble with walking like this as he was. She refused to let go though. Strangely enough, they made it to the table without falling. Once they got there, Yuki attempted to coax her into a chair, but she just clung to him tighter, burying her face into his shoulder. Yuki sighed and pulled the two chairs together and got her to sit down right beside him. He could hear her stomach growl, yet she kept her arms locked around him, making no move to get any food.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked though he already had the answer.

In response, Tohru shook her head, scooting her body closer to his. She was holding him tightly and closely enough that he could feel her heart beating against his arm. He chewed the inside of his mouth, trying to come up with a response to this. He knew she was hungry, but she denied it just to keep herself attached to his side. Yuki didn't mind if she held onto him, but he didn't want her to stop eating. He had already seen the horrendous results of that a few weeks ago. He didn't want to see death staring at him whenever he glanced at her ever again.

There had to be some way to get her to feel safe even if she wasn't glued to his side. He couldn't possibly tell her to 'shape up'. She had been forcibly kissed and abused. That was an experience he hadn't lived through yet. He had no idea what images were burned into her mind; he had no clue how much fear coursed through her veins; he didn't even know how he could touch her. One simple touch could end up making her cry and relive her little situation with Akito, and he didn't want that. A week ago, she had seemed a lot better than how she was now. He didn't understand what could shove all that terror back inside her. He would have asked her, but she looked like she'd crack if he brought it up. Yuki wrapped his free arm around her, stroking her arm in a comforting gesture.

He touched her chin, lifting her face upwards, staring into her eyes for a moment before asking, "If I feed you, would you eat then?"

"I-I don't need you to do that! I'm not hungry!" Tohru insisted.

"Yes you are. How about I hold you, would you eat then?" Yuki suggested.

"Ah… U-um…" Tohru stammered embarrassedly. Seeing as Tohru was unable to refuse this offer of his, Yuki gently pried her hands off of his arm and slipped his arms around her thing waist, pulling her on top of his legs. He laid his chin on her shoulder. Tohru stared blankly ahead with a red face. He had moved so quickly that she was still trying to figure out what had just happened and what she was supposed to do. Sensing how baffled she was, Yuki reached toward the tray and picked up a slice of toast. He pressed the bread into her hands with one word, "Eat."

After Yuki was satisfied with the amount of food Tohru had eaten, she shyly climbed off of his lap and went back to clinging to his arm so he could eat. She clung to him the rest of the morning, barely releasing him when he needed to use the restroom, but as soon as he came out, she'd reattach herself to him. She didn't say much to him, only answering his questions. Yuki had tried to keep a conversation flowing between them, but it was difficult when she would only nod and rarely put in a few words. He gave up on talking less than half an hour ago. He simply sat on the couch with Tohru snuggled up against him. Both more than content with this, but he was still worried.

"Tohru, can you stay here by yourself for a little while?" Yuki asked her.

"N-No! I don't want you to go…" she admitted before stuttering, "I mean… Yes. I can sta-stay here by m-myself."

Even after she sat that, she still held onto him. She didn't want him to go and leave her here all alone, but she didn't want to trouble him more than she already was. Yuki gazed down at her uneasily. He wanted to leave as much as she wanted him to. Tohru peeked up at him and reluctantly released her hold on him. She glanced up at him and gave him a genuine smile to let him know that she was alright as she moved a few inches away from him. He kissed her forehead and patted her head before standing up.

"You should take a bath or shower while I'm gone… I'll be back soon. I just have to tell a few people that I'm sick so that no one will look for me…" Yuki told her.

"Okay… Come back safely…" Tohru whispered to him.

"I will. I'm just going around my home. Nothing bad will happen. You can pick anything of mine to wear, okay?" Yuki informed her before he touched her shoulder and left.

Tohru sat there for a minute after he left. She raised her shaking hands to her face and laughed awkwardly, "Look at me… I'm acting like an obsessed baby… He'll hate me for sure if I keep acting like this…"

Tohru shook her head. There was no reason for her to be scared without him here. She would be perfectly safe inside his room. No one would come here to hurt her. Nobody even knew that she was here. She walked over to his dresser and pulled open the bottom drawer. Finding it do be full of neatly folded underwear, Tohru's face turned a bright red. She immediately shoved it closed and leaned against the drawers embarrassedly. It took her a moment and several deep breaths before she gathered enough courage to look through the rest of the drawers. Tohru browsed through all of his clothing before selecting a pair of dark blue trousers and a loose white t-shirt. She brought the articles of clothing to her face and inhaled his sweet scent before heading to the bathroom.

Inside the bathroom that was large enough to be a living room, she found a bathtub large enough to fit ten people, a shower big enough for four to shower at once, a smaller room with a toilet and sink, a closet filled with white towels, and a vanity that looked like it had never been used. She set his clothes on the smooth top of the vanity and turned the water on to fill the tub. She quickly undressed and hopped in. She laid there, scrubbing her body until she heard Yuki return.

Rapidly, Tohru rinsed the soap out of her hair and body and stepped out of the tub. She yanked the plug and wrapped a soft towel around her thin frame. Forgetting about the clothes she had picked out due to her excitement, Tohru opened the door and rushed into the surprised arms of Yuki who was seated on the bed, waiting for her. Tohru climbed onto his lap and pressed her face into his chest, leaving a wet imprint, oblivious to the red blush blooming on Yuki's face.

"Welcome back Yuki-kun…" she murmured.

Yuki was too stunned to respond to her words or actions. The woman he loved was sitting on his lap with only a towel on around her. He wasn't sure whether he should point out what she was wearing or not. After a couple of minutes of hearing no response from Yuki, Tohru looked up at him. She blinked innocently and titled her head to the side. Pulling out of the embrace, she stared at his pink stained face. He almost looked deranged. Tohru covered his forehead with her hand worriedly.

"You're not really sick, are you? You don't feel warm, but your face is red," Tohru pointed out.

Yuki shook his head. He timidly hooked his arms under her bare arms and lifted her off his lap. He set her back on the floor and turned her around towards the bathroom. He gave her a slight shove, "Get dressed please…"

The fact that she had just latched herself to him in nothing but a towel slowly dawned on her. Her face turned a bright scarlet as she scurried back to the bathroom. Tohru shut the door behind her and squatted down on the tiled floor as she buried her face in her hands out of pure embarrassment. She lost track of time and just sat against the door, repeatedly scolding herself for acting so foolishly. Tohru only became of aware of how long she had been in there when Yuki knocked on the door, "Tohru, are you okay in there?"

"Y-Yes!" Tohru exclaimed.

She quickly jumped up and scrambled into the shirt and pants. Tohru reopened the door shyly and slowly stepped out of the bathroom. Her eyes were glued on the floor, unable to meet his gaze. There was a minute of awkward silence, neither of them could think of anything to say to ease the level of discomfort edging around them. Tohru chewed on the bottom of her lip, ready for what she had in store for her. She could live with whatever he was going to say to her for waltzing into a room half naked as long as he didn't think she was a prostitute or someone like that. She cringed at the thought, and her expression bewildered him. Humiliation shouldn't pain anyone. Eager to put an end to her suffering, Yuki placed his hand on top of her head –an action she hadn't anticipated. Not quite sure what to make of his actions, Tohru glanced up at him uneasily.

"Feel free to do whatever you like as long as you don't leave my room… I have to finish some assignments since being sick doesn't excuse me from my studies," Yuki told her with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh! What are you learning about?" Tohru asked curiously.

Yuki took her hand and led her to the table which was covered with numerous packets. He lifted the first one which was filled with various complex problems, "Calculus."

He lifted another with various words and numbers, "Chemistry… Though I want to switch to botany or herbology, and I'm studying English."

The last packet he held up was full of foreign letters that Tohru didn't recognize. Tohru took this packet from him and ran her fingers over the curves and lines with amazement. She flipped through the pages, taking her time to stare at every phrase. Yuki watched her actions with a smile. Originally, he hadn't wanted to study this foreign language along with the many others he was forced to know fluently, but if Tohru was interested in it, he was glad he had agreed. This was the most joyful he had seen her in quite a while.

"Say something in English!" Tohru exclaimed, hugging the papers to her chest.

Yuki gazed at her excited eyes blankly before blurting out the phrase that always popped into his head whenever he saw her, "_I love you_."

Tohru's mouth dropped open into a half grin and part gape of amazement, "What's that mean Yuki-kun? It sounded beautiful!"

"I love you," he smiled wryly at her embarrassed reaction.

Tohru's cheeks darkened as she shoved the packet back at him.

Yuki laughed as he took the papers from her and set them down on the table. He picked up his calculus packet and began working through the problems he was given at an incredibly fast rate. He hardly looked up as his hand flew across the pages. He never stopped to think or even erase a mistake. Tohru sat herself down across from him and stared at him in complete shock. She had always known that he was smart, but to be able to do this work at such a pace made the calculator seem to be a stupid invention. Nonetheless, the calculator was still her best friend when she worked on her algebra problems. Yuki turned the last page and set down his pencil and let out a sigh of relief. He smiled at her and handed her the packet.

"Would you do me a favor?" he asked her.

She nodded without even asking what the favor was.

"Would you check the answers for me?"

"Eh?" she took the papers hesitantly, "I'm not good at math though! Actually, I'm pretty stupid… I'm not sure I'd be much help…"

He chuckled, "First off, you're not stupid… And, even if you are bad at math, there are answers in the back."

Tohru simpered embarrassedly as she began checking over the answers for him. Immediately, Yuki went to work on his chemistry packet, working at the same pace as before. Tohru scanned over the answers and compared them to what Yuki had written down. She couldn't find a single difference between them. It was incredible to her that he could have gotten them all right while rushing through the problems like that. She double checked just to make sure she hadn't made a mistake before she slid the packet back to him.

"They're all correct…" Tohru breathed.

"Thanks for your help," Yuki told her with a simple smile before getting back to work. He obviously wasn't as interested or shocked by getting them all correct as she was. Tohru stared at him with surprise. If she had gotten a perfect score, she would be jumping up and down with joy. Heck, if she had gotten half of them right, she would be dancing. Haru and Kisa would have even rewarded her, but of course, she had never gotten everything correct, so she would never understand what it was like to be so intelligent.

"Aren't you proud… or happy?" Tohru asked him.

"About what?"

He looked up at her after pushing away his now completed chemistry packet. He gave her his full attention, but she said nothing. Dumbstruck, she just peered back at him, not understanding how he didn't know what she was talking about. Yuki raised his eyebrows at her and cocked his head to the side in attempt to coax her into explaining, but all he really got her to do was shift awkwardly in her seat and lower her gaze. She wavered, feeling no desire to go on and wind up sounding like an idiot. She ended up choosing to just tell him and get it over with. She was in no position to start making things up –not that she could ever even pull it off. He was letting her stay here after all.

"Well… I mean, aren't you happy since you got all of the problems right?" Tohru stammered.

"Erm… Not really… Why?"

"I think it's a great accomplishment! I mean- I'm sorry… It's not my place to speak," Tohru muttered, regretting saying anything at all now.

"I guess I should say 'thank you'… So thank you Tohru," Yuki smiled at her.

Tohru blushed and looked down. Yuki placed his hand over hers, squeezing her fingers gently before getting back to work. The sooner he finished, the sooner he'd be able to spend time with Tohru. That, simply, was enough motivation for him. After a minute, Tohru glanced up at him and smiled when she saw him working on English. Foreign languages had always fascinated her, but never in her life could she manage to speak or understand anything but Japanese. The vocabulary was always too much to handle.

She scooted her chair over until she was right beside Yuki and leaned over curiously watching him write the strange letters. Yuki faced her with a perplexed look that made Tohru look down embarrassedly.

He smiled and put a finger under her chin. He lifted her face and couldn't help but stare at the lips he had refrained from kissing since New Years. Yuki released her abruptly before he did anything she wasn't comfortable with. He wasn't sure whether she was ready for an intimate relationship again. Sure, she let him hold her hand and embrace her, but how she had cried when Ayame kissed her hand was enough to make him cautious. After contemplating over his problem for a moment longer, he decided to respect Tohru's fear of men and shoved his desire away. All the while, Tohru stared blankly at him.

"Ah… Um… Yuki-kun," Tohru stuttered nervously trying to break the silence, "Say something else in English for me, please?"

"_Can I kiss you?_" the words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop him. He flinched slightly when he realized what he had said exactly.

"What does that mean?" Tohru asked with an oblivious grin.

He mentally kicked himself a few times and considered lying to her about what he had just said, but he couldn't, not when she trusted him so much. He knew she was still in a fragile state, more delicate than a thin sheet of glass. It scared him to think that a small error, even something with good intentions, might send her over the edge. Loving someone who was androphobic was a bit difficult, especially since he was of the male gender. Yuki slowly shut his eyes, praying now that she wouldn't take it badly. He didn't want to tell her and make her feel obligated to follow through with what he had said, which he knew she would feel anyways, since she always put others before her. He wasn't going to push her around and try to rush her though, but he couldn't lie to her either.

"Can I kiss you…" Yuki confessed in a voice barely above a whisper.

Tohru's eyes widened when she heard that. Taking her surprise as a refusal and confirmation that she was still terrified with any contact with men, Yuki pulled away from her and straightened himself up. Tohru peeked up at him, "You may…"

"Wha-what…?" Yuki choked out as he stared at her.

Tohru jumped up, frantically waving her hands about in a flustered manner. Her cheeks were a bright red as she exclaimed, "Sorry! I-I must have interpreted you wrong! I'm sorry! Of course you wouldn't want to kiss me or-"

Yuki slipped his arms around her back and yanked her back over to him as he pressed her lips to his gently, ravishing her mouth with the softest chaste kisses. Tohru's eyes remained jolted open for most of the kiss. Strangely enough, the kiss wasn't as awkward as either of them had anticipated. Tohru was positive that she might slap him if he touched her out of the new protective instinct she had acquired, but she felt no urge to do so. His kiss didn't remind her of Akito's at all. It was just a kiss, just like the hundreds of others she had received from him before New Years, and it filled her with the same warm feeling like before, not fear.

She felt his hands wander to her lower back and to the nape of her neck. The one in the latter position inched up to the back of her head. When his fingers accidentally brushed across her bandages, Tohru felt a surge of pain fly through her body, and she pulled away from Yuki instantly. Yuki peered at her questioningly until he remembered that she had just hit her head recently.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Ah no! I'm sorry!" Tohru squeaked with a blush tinting her face.

"You have no reason to be," he laughed before kissing her forehead.

---

Tohru wandered aimlessly around his room. It was her sixth day staying in Yuki's room already, and nobody had found out yet, but she was bored. Yuki had been out for over an hour already. He was at his lessons for the day at the library. If she had done her calculations correctly, he should be back in half an hour. She sighed, still extremely bored. She had already explored his room ten times already. She knew his room better than he did by now. Tohru had even cleaned and organized his room for him twice. It had basically been a disaster area when she was first here with clothes strewn under his bed. Tohru walked over to his drawer where he kept everything she had given him. Fingering the navy scarf, she pondered over whether she should destroy the get well card or not. He had already forbidden her to do so, but what she wrote was so embarrassing.

She clenched both of them in her hands, still undecided. She was about to put them back and take a short nap when she heard a few knocks on the door. Her eyes lit up at the thought of an early return by Yuki, but when she ran over to the door and still didn't hear him speak, she knew it couldn't be him. Tohru ran back to his bed and hid under his covers, doing as he told her to if someone came looking for him: remain silent. Most of the time, they just left at this point, but this time, she heard a key get inserted into the lock. Beginning to panic, Tohru jolted upwards, trying to find somewhere to hide. Dumbly, she ran into the bathroom and silently shut the door behind her. She leaned against the door with a frightened expression. She could hear people talking though she couldn't make out any words. Footsteps grew louder along with voices, telling her that they were coming towards the bathroom.

Not thinking rationally, Tohru slid into the hamper full of clothes. Only a prince would have a hamper big enough to fit someone inside. She buried herself at the very bottom and lay there perfectly still. Tohru heard the door open, and she started to pray that it wasn't some maid coming to get Yuki's laundry. That would be bad. That would be very bad. She bit her lip and squeezed the scarf she had made him tightly in her hands. She didn't even know she was still holding the scarf and letter until now.

The opening and closing of cabinets could be heard. They were obviously looking for something. Tohru squeezed the two items in her arms tighter, glad she had taken them with her. If she hadn't, Yuki and she would definitely be in deep trouble by now. Tohru held her breath and didn't breathe until she heard the door shut. Tohru waited until she heard the other door shut before she tried to get out.

Scrambling to get out of the hot box of clothes, Tohru squirmed around and made an attempt to get out, but all her moving did was flip the hamper over. She toppled out of the crate, but she smacked her forehead against the bathtub. The tiled walls began spinning around, the colors darkening. Her eyelids fluttered shut. The next thing she knew, she had lost conscious and the hamper fell on top of her, covering her with a pile of thick clothes.

---

She awoke to something cool on her forehead. Tohru opened her eyes slowly and looked around the dark room. A lamp in the corner of the room had been turned on, but otherwise, the entire room was black. She could vaguely make out the figure of a hunched over man seated at the desk. Tohru sat up, the ice pack dropping onto her lap. She stared at the man, unable to see who it was.

"Yuki?" Tohru called out in a weak voice.

The man turned around, but it wasn't Yuki. This person had jet black hair that covered his left eye. He wore a stern expression across his tired face as he walked over to her. Tohru's eyes dilated and she partially hid herself under the thin blanket that had been draped over her. She didn't know this man, but he looked scary and angry. He could be a bad guy who was going to send her back home, away from Yuki, to her aunt and uncle who would ship her off to Akito. Tohru trembled. She could see his arm out of the corner of her eye. He came nearer and nearer. She could hear him breathing now, and he held out the ice pack she had dropped earlier and pressed it to her forehead. Tohru blinked and stared up at him.

"Yuki is in the shower. I'm Hatori Sohma, the doctor who bandaged your previous wound and treated your new one. You have a bruise on your forehead; it'll be tender for a few days. When Yuki found you, you were unconscious in the bathroom floor, under laundry," he looked at her worried face before he added, "Don't worry. Yuki has already convinced me not to tell anyone of your being here."

"I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you…" Tohru whispered. Only now did she hear the shower running.

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Yuki if you want to say 'I'm sorry'. He's the one you trouble most by staying here. He may not tell you that, but it's true. He has to work hard to sneak you back food and things to keep you occupied, not to mention that he also has to push himself harder to finish his lessons and practices earlier so he can keep you company. Don't even ask me how many times he has lied to keep them from finding you. And after I treated you, I forced him to go to his horseback riding training by promising to look over you. He got thrown off because he was too preoccupied over worrying about you to concentrate. If he didn't have such quick reflexes, he'd have at least one broken rib by now instead of just a bruise," Hatori told her.

Tohru frowned and looked up at Hatori. She had no idea her staying in his room was causing him so many problems. She felt guilty and knew she should leave, but she didn't want to leave him or go back to her house. Tohru could feel tears push their way out. Hatori stared at her, showing no sympathy towards her.

He said goodbye and left the minute the shower stopped. She sat there, half dreading the moment when Yuki would come out. She didn't want him to yell at her and blame her for his injury. Tohru hated it when he was angry, especially if she was the cause. When the door creaked open, Tohru bit her lip in attempt to ready herself if Yuki was as angry as she expected him to be. A second later, Tohru saw him step out of the bathroom with sopping dark hair and a bare chest. Blushing like the inexperienced virgin she was, she gasped and hid her face behind the blanket. She wasn't used to seeing half naked men. She hadn't focused on him, but she still saw the dark purple splotch across his ribs.

Yuki blinked, facing in her direction.

"Oh! I'm sorry… I thought you would still be asleep… I forgot to bring a shirt…" Yuki explained as he walked over to his wardrobe and slipped on the first shirt he saw.

She slowly lowered the blanket she was clutching in front of her face when she felt him sit down on the bed. Tohru gazed at him, her face still bright red. She was glad to see he was fully clothed now, if not people might start using a picture of her face to define the word 'blush'. Her lips didn't curve up as they usually did when she saw him. They remained pressed together in an uncharacteristically straight line. She wasn't sure how to act or greet someone who was supposedly mad at her, but he simply smiled at her before covering her forehead with the icepack that she had been holding in her hand.

"Does your head feel better?" he asked.

Tohru nodded, partially shocked to not be hearing him yell at her, "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? For what?"

Yuki blinked incredulously at her, not understanding what would make her apologize to him. He stared at her and watched her nod again. She squeezed her eyes shut as if she was in pain and threw her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble! Please don't hate me! I-I real-really love you! I didn't mean to give you so many extra things to do… I really didn't want to make you lie or get hurt!" Yuki stared down at her in disbelief as she continued, "I'm sorry! I don't deserve a b-boyfriend like you! I'm probably the worst gi-girlfriend… You have to believe me… I didn't want him to kiss me… I didn't want to be there with him… I'm sorry… I really do only want you to kiss me… Not anyone else… Please believe me…"

Her babbling was cut off when he peeled her arms off of himself and pressed his lips to hers. Tohru gaped, her eyes widening in shock. The kiss ended as quickly as it began. He pulled back and wiped the tears off her face. Her jaw hung open as she peered at him, still completely shocked. He smiled and drew her back into a tight embrace.

"What are you talking about? Silly girl… I don't mind doing all of these things. I love having you here. I work harder and faster because I have something to look forward to waiting for me in my room. You're the best girlfriend I could ever ask for… I know you didn't want him to kiss you… I saw you crying… I know that… I love you too, and I won't stop. Please believe that," Yuki told her.

Tohru burrowed her face into his chest, clutching herself to him. She was crying again, but this time, she was crying out of appreciation. There was only one word she could describe him with at the moment: amazing. He was utterly extraordinary. She didn't deserve this angel at all. He deserved a girl nobody else had kissed or at least someone relatively smart, but what could she do? She was head over heels for the guy. Even if she didn't deserve him, she couldn't let such a perfect man get away. She was going to be selfish and keep him to herself, regardless of what anyone else thought.

"Thank you…" Tohru breathed gratefully.

"No, thank you… You helped me a lot… I didn't expect them to search through my belongings. They haven't done that in years. If you hadn't taken the scarf and card with you, I would have been in huge trouble," Yuki commented, "Though I don't really like where you had been hiding… You should have hid somewhere with less potential as something dangerous…"

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make it fall over…" Tohru murmured embarrassedly.

"Nothing you have to apologize for. Are you okay though?"

Tohru nodded. She paused before asking, "So you're not mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because of New Year's eve… I promised I would spend it with you… I didn't even see you on New Year's Day… All I did w-was get k-kissed…" Tohru choked out.

Yuki released her, giving her the impression that he was indeed mad. Tohru kept her face down. She couldn't bring herself to look at him if he was angry at her. Tohru clenched her teeth together nervously until he placed his forefinger under her chin, tilting her face upwards until she was looking him in the eye. Before he said anything to her, he kissed away the new tears that were sliding down her cheeks. Tohru blushed, but she was unable to look away with him. His face was merely five inches from hers, and he was holding her head in place. For a brief moment, Yuki just stared into her eyes.

"Didn't we have this conversation already? …There's nothing to be angry about. I just wish I had gotten there sooner so you wouldn't have gotten hurt. That's the only thing I'm mad about. The more I think about it, the more irritated at myself I get… I just love you. I never want to see you in pain, understand?"

"Really?" she waited for him to nod before adding, "It isn't your fault either… I mean, I was too weak to push him off… I'm sorry… I wish I was stronger…" Tohru confessed.

"Why would you wish for that? Then I wouldn't be able to save you," Yuki playfully frowned.

Her eyes lit up with joy. Tohru smiled at him and rested her forehead on his shoulder, locking her hands around his back. Yuki ran his fingers through her hair as a comforting gesture. She didn't say anything, but he could sense that she wasn't as happy as she was a second ago. He wasn't quite sure why though, so he waited for her to say something, tacitly encouraging her to do so. She clung to him in complete silence before hesitantly admitting, "You know… Sometimes… I'm scared of you too…"

"I guess that's what I get for being a man," Yuki replied, unfazed as he continued to pat her back calmly.

"I'm sorry… I don't want to be afraid…When we kiss, and even now, I'm scared… Please don't get mad. I still love you a lot… Just as much as before if not more…" Tohru murmured.

Yuki released her, pulling away, "You're scared now? We don't have to hug and kiss you know…"

She rewound her arms around his neck and tightened her grip around his shoulders, not letting him pull out of the embrace again.

"I knew you'd say that, but I want to. I don't want you to stop… I'm already a bad girlfriend… We've been seeing each other for a year, and the most I've let you do is kiss me. I know most couples who've been together as long as we have have probably gone farther than us… So I'm sorry…" Tohru rambled.

"Tohru, I don't care about the other couples and whether they've done more than kiss or not. I care about us. I care about you and your feelings, and I understand that you're still scared because of _him_… I know you're trying extra hard for me, but you don't have to. I'll wait for you to be comfortable around me again. I can live without kissing you for a while as long as you're happy and continue to smile," Yuki told her.

He did want to kiss her and embrace her; he did want their relationship to be as intimate as it was before New Year's Eve, but he didn't want to rush her. His lust wasn't as important as her happiness. He was attracted to her; he couldn't deny that. He thought she was beautiful, gorgeous even, but her appearance wasn't the reason he loved her. He loved her for who she was. He adored the look of a blush on her face when she was embarrassed, he loved the way she put everyone before herself, he cherished her smiles, he liked hearing her laugh, he found her timidity adorable, and he thought her personality was downright amazing. To him, she was an angel descended from the heavens, and the only thing he wanted to do was please her and keep a smile blooming on her face. He didn't want to force her to do a thing she wasn't ready for. He didn't want to do anything that might make him lose her, no matter how slim that chance was.

"I just want you to be happy… I can't make you wait… I'm not saying you're impatient!" Tohru squeaked before continuing, "I still want to kiss you and be kissed too… Even if I'm scared…"

"You know what? I'm scared too when I kiss you…" Yuki confessed.

At this, Tohru lifted her head up with surprise, "Eh?"

Yuki placed his hand on her cheek, "I'm scared of hurting you… I'm scared of getting pushed away because I acted too soon. I'm terrified to think I might make you cry, as if I didn't make you do enough of that already…"

"Bu-but you're always so c-calm! You don't even blush or flinch like me!" Tohru exclaimed.

Yuki took one of her hands, placing it over his heart. She looked up quizzically at him, a blush seeping on to her face. He kept his hand over hers, securing it in place on his chest. He paused before leaning over and brushing his lips over hers gingerly. Tohru could feel the once steady beats quicken beneath her finger tips erratically. She wasn't sure whether the beats sped up because he was excited or if it was as he had said: out of fear. Yuki pulled away, letting his hand slide off of hers. Tohru kept her hand over his heart a moment longer before her face flushed, and she dropped her hand.

"You see how scared I am? So don't worry about it. We'll get over this together," Yuki murmured.

"Together?" Tohru repeated the word delicately.

He nodded, taking both of her hands in his, "I promise…"

Tohru smiled and hugged him tightly. She didn't know what to say to him. There were no words to express her gratitude to him. She was exuberant to know that he still loved her and still wanted her as his girlfriend even after all that had happened, she was ecstatic when she learned he wasn't mad at her for not fending for herself better, she was jumping up and down –mentally- when he wasn't offended when she told him she was scared of him too, but now that he had just offered to help her get over this, she was beginning to doubt her hearing ability. It seemed too good to be true. There had to be some sort of catch, something she had to do for some higher power to keep his heart, but for now, she just wanted to enjoy his company.

"I want to apologize to your brother… and that other man. I didn't mean to cry after meeting your brother or when his friend hugged me… I just can't help it." Tohru whispered.

"You don't have to apo-"

"I want to…" Tohru repeated firmly.

Yuki pulled out of her embrace and stared at her. He could see the determination in her eyes, but he could also see the terror and hesitation she was trying to hide. He didn't want her to face her fear too soon if she wasn't ready. He couldn't care less if Tohru had offended Ayame and Shigure, but if she wanted to apologize to them, he'd help her, as long as that was what she really wanted. Despite the terror shining in her eyes, he could tell that apologizing to Ayame and Shigure was her desire. Well, maybe not apologizing exactly, but confronting men was definitely her goal.

"Okay… I'll get them to come over tomorrow," Yuki told her.

"Thank you, Yuki-kun…" Tohru smiled broadly at him.

Yuki pecked her on the lips before standing, "Good night Tohru…"

"Um… Yuki-kun?" she waited for him to turn around before she whispered, "Can you stay h-here with me? I-I'm still a li-little scar-scared…"

Yuki peered at her red face for a moment before the surprise faded off his face, and he smiled at her. He stepped back towards her and the bed, hesitating a bit before he sat down on the corner of his bed. Tohru scooted over to one side of his bed, and he lay down beside her. Yuki turned towards her and took her hands in his, "I'll stay until you fall asleep."

Tohru nodded and snuggled up against him with a smile. Yuki blushed slightly but wrapped his arms around her back. She encircled his midriff, squeezing him for a minute, before flinching back. She threw up her hands, nearly smacking him in the face in a hurry to release his abdomen where she knew a bruise lay. Yuki stared at her, wide-eyed, not sure what to make of her actions. He was leaning towards the suspicion that he had just done something that made her uncomfortable and was about to apologize, but Tohru spoke first.

"Did I hurt you?!" she asked frantically.

"What?"

"Your bruise…" Tohru trailed off.

He laughed softly and shook his head. Tohru peered up at him, still holding her arms against her chest. She wasn't sure where was a safe place to put them to keep them from brushing against his injury. Yuki counted to ten in his head, giving her ten seconds to act before he did so himself. She was still wavering even though he gave her five more seconds than he intended to. His arms enclosed her tiny form, pressing her close to him once again. Tohru lurched a bit back out of shock, but his hold restrained her from making much movement. It took her a brief moment to convince herself of his response - that she wasn't hurting him at all- and settle against his chest. Truth be told, it did hurt, but it was more than worth it to comfort her.

He stroked her back until she fell asleep. He held her a minute longer before he released her and retreated to the couch. There, he lay awake for another hour, staring up at the ceiling with worry spinning around in his head. He didn't really want Ayame or Shigure to get near Tohru at all. He wasn't convinced that she was really ready to face them, but he couldn't refuse her. He flipped onto his side and stared at Tohru's sleeping form and the little opening in her mouth between her lips. He turned around abruptly, scolding himself for thinking about intimacy with Tohru like this. She trusted him –probably more than she should trust anyone. He couldn't do anything to her while she was in this state, regardless of her claims that she was all right with it and despite of his wants. Eventually, he fell asleep.

---

"I-I can't do it… Yuki-kun, I'm scared…" Tohru whimpered.

Tohru sniffled, clinging to Yuki. She was sitting on his lap, clutching his shirt in her hands. She pressed her teary face against his shirt, crying again. Yuki looked down at the trembling girl in his arms. He patted her back, muttering soothing things into her ear. He had been sitting here on his bed with Tohru for over an hour, trying to get her to calm down enough to apologize to Ayame and Shigure -something she wanted to do. Yuki looked at the door, behind which Ayame and Shigure were standing, waiting for him to tell them they could enter.

"You can… I believe in you…" he muttered to her.

She glanced up at him shakily before shaking her head again. She burrowed her face into his chest, seeming to seek a place to hide. Tohru remained there for a moment before taking a deep breath and lifting her face out of his tear-soaked shirt, apologizing before she began to nod. She swallowed nervously before she climbed off of his lap and seated herself beside him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. He knew she was still petrified. Tohru peered up at him. She squeezed her eyes shut and clutched him tightly for a minute before pulling away and recomposing herself. Yuki kissed her cheek, clasping one of her hands in his.  
"Okay… Niisan… Shigure… You both can come in now…" Yuki called for the two men.

Shigure and Ayame opened the two doors and entered slowly. They didn't know why they were here. Yuki had simply told them to come to his room and ordered them to stand outside until he said otherwise. The two men came upon the scene of Tohru hiding her face in the crook of Yuki's arms, and Yuki kept his arms around her. They stopped in front of the bed. Yuki looked up at them then back down at Tohru. She was shaking all over again. She squeezed his shirt tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Yuki clasped his hand over her shoulder, trying to coax her into pulling away and looking at Ayame and Shigure, but he only got her to start apologizing.

"I'm sorry Ayame-san and Shigure-san for crying when you came near me… I didn't mean to offend you or anything! I'm sorry! Pl-please forgive me!" Tohru squeaked into Yuki's shirt.

Her apologies came out muffled, and only Yuki could understand what she was saying, but Ayame and Shigure didn't dare ask for clarification out of a fear of making her cry again. Tohru clung to Yuki for another minute before she lifted her face up. She kept her hands locked around Yuki's shirt, but she gathered enough courage to look up at Ayame and Shigure. She was blushing, embarrassed to be seen clinging to Yuki, ashamed to be acting so childishly, and still a bit scared of them. Yuki flashed her a smile. He was proud of her progress. She swallowed anxiously. It was getting harder for her to keep eye contact with Ayame and Shigure.

"I'm sorry…" Tohru repeated, "Ca-Can you forgive me?"

"Of course we can forgive you! How can I possibly retain anger towards the lady who shall bear the children of my little brother one day?" Ayame laughed to himself.

"Agreed! We want out nieces and nephews to like us!" Shigure grinned.

Tohru's face flushed. She may be extremely dense, but she knew how a baby was made. She looked down bashfully and scooted away from Yuki a bit subconsciously. Yuki glared at the snickering men while fighting off the blush that was starting to form on his own cheeks, but the only thing Ayame and Shigure paid attention to were the pink faces of the young couple. Nobody said a thing, and the discomfort hovered in the air, thick enough to suffocate someone. It didn't take long for Shigure to grow bored of this and change the topic for Yuki and Tohru.

"So Tohru-kun, how long are you going to stay here?" Shigure asked.

"Actually… Yuki-kun is taking me home today…" Tohru whispered.

"Oh, so soon? You should stay longer! We haven't hung out yet!" Shigure whined.

"Ah… Bu-but I ran away! I'm sure that N-Niisan and Kisa-chan are worried!" Tohru stammered.

Tohru fingered her long brown hair, staring idly at the wooden panels of the floor. She made sure her eyes didn't drift anywhere near Yuki's direction, not even at his feet. She hadn't thought about the implications she was giving other people about herself and her relationship with Yuki during her whole stay here until Ayame brought up children. Tohru didn't even want to think about what kind of impression she had given Ayame and Shigure with her overnight stays in Yuki's bedroom. By the looks of the goofy smiles she had seen on both of their faces a minute ago, she doubted she'd be able to convince them that nothing had happened between her and Yuki, even if that was the truth. She peered up at Shigure through her thick eyelashes, shocked to see a partly serious expression.

"Tohru ran out?" Shigure stated in disbelief before turning towards Yuki, "What did you do to make Tohru act like this?"

Yuki rolled his eyes and shook his head, "I didn't do anything, but even if I did, it wouldn't be any of your business."

Shigure raised his eyebrows skeptically, "You sure you didn't convince her to stay here for a week by offering to deflower her?"

"Get out Shigure, please, I'm begging you," Yuki said with a cold smile.

Shigure obeyed. He left but not without chuckling the whole way and muttering unintelligible things. Ayame pranced off behind him, most likely to report his findings to Hatori. Yuki shook his head and looked down at his lap. His breathing slowed down as he shut his eyes and rubbed his temples, repeating in his mind a couple of times that he shouldn't kill Shigure, no matter how tempting the idea was. He tried to convince himself that it'd do him no good to slaughter Shigure, but his imagination taunted him with images of a quiet future without Shigure's teasing. He sighed and dropped his hands to the side, figuring out that thinking just persuaded him to murder Shigure. He distracted himself by looking at Tohru.

He smiled, "I'm proud of you…"

Tohru flushed, "It was nothing…I mean… I was sitting on you, almost, the entire time…"

"Tohru, it _is_ something. If anyone had gone through what you had and was speaking to men again, smiling, and even kissing a man, they'd be proud. So why aren't you?" he questioned softly.

Her eyes flickered with interest before she looked away again. Tohru was still too humiliated to face him. She didn't want to let him know how embarrassed she was, but she was sure her dark cheeks gave her away. Yuki grinned and traced her jaw line with the tips of his fingers, pausing and letting them linger under her chin. His actions got him exactly what he wanted. Tohru's eyes reconnected with his, and he held her gaze, knowing she wouldn't be able to look away now. He was right. Tohru's eyes were locked with his, not so much because he could easily hold her so she'd have to gaze in his direction, but because her will to do so vanished. She couldn't quite even recall her bashfulness.

"Tohru, you're strong, stronger than you think, and I love you. Never doubt that. We're getting through this together," he whispered.

Her lip quivered, tears daring to come out just from hearing him say that, "I-I know… It's because of you... If I… If I didn't have you, I'd be hiding in bed… I owe you a lot."

"You don't owe me a thing," he reassured her, but she wasn't convinced. How could she be? If she were him, she would have probably kicked herself out already. How could he not want to usher her out of his room already? She could think of more than enough reasons for him to, so either, he was secretly the god of patience or he wasn't telling her how he truly felt.

"You let me stay here… for seven days… I made you sleep on the couch and stole your bed… How can you tell me I don't owe you anything? I feel like I have to get down on my knees to thank you…" she admitted, staring at the floor, considering actually doing so.

Yuki laughed softly. He reached forward and swept the hair out of her face. Planting his hands on her shoulders, he leaned forward and joined their lips together, "Your love is more than enough…"


	28. He Loves Me He Loves Me Not

Yuki had seen Tohru last night and had called her twice since then, but he already felt deprived of her presence. He needed to see her again. Yuki stood by his window, scanning the area below him for any person who might cross his path as he made his way off the castle grounds. The two guards by the gates weren't looking his way, not that they even had their eyes open anyways. He slid open the window and was about to jump out when his door swung open. Yuki slammed the window shut, turning around innocently. His mother stood at his doorway with an uncharacteristic, wide smile across her face.

"Yuki, my son! Good news! Come with me!" she cried excitedly.

"What is it?" Yuki asked suspiciously.

What was good to her was always bad news to him. Besides, she hardly, if ever, acknowledged him as her son in a benign voice. Actually, he wasn't quite sure if he had ever heard her speak cheerfully before. He stared incredulously at the smiling woman that was supposed to be his mother. She didn't respond, just continuing to wave him over with her hand instead. Yuki let out a deep breath and walked over to his mother. She instantly took his hand and led him downstairs, he noted, with a bounce in her step. He followed her to the entrance tentatively.

"I don't see anything-" Yuki started.

Before he could finish his sentence, three people stood up, bowing to him. None of them he could recognize, but from the smile on his mother's face and something his father had told him about an engagement almost a year ago, the girl in the middle could only be Princess Machi, his fiancée. Yuki unintentionally wrinkled his face in dislike. It wasn't that he found her appearance hideous or anything like that, but she wasn't Tohru. Luckily, he forced his face back to normal before anyone noticed his distaste with this whole arrangement. He clenched his jaw together to keep himself from letting his expression go back to one of disgust.

"Yuki, I'd like you to meet Princess Machi and her parents. Kuragi-san, this is my son, Yuki. I'll assure you he'll take good care of your daughter," his mother smiled.

"It's nice to meet you…" the girl greeted him softly.

She didn't even look up at him as she spoke.

Despite the similarities in hair color, she was nothing like Tohru. Tohru would have been smiling broadly, even if she was meeting the man she was unwillingly betrothed to. This girl, on the other hand, was frowning and downright uncomfortable here. She was standing stiffly and was nearly shaking. That reminded him of how Tohru had looked like when she had first been confronted by Ayame and Shigure. She had looked so tiny and helpless then, so scared and fragile. Feeling the urge to call Tohru and make sure she was alright, he silently tapped his foot. He was impatient and more than ready to bolt back to his room. It was unreasonable to worry over Tohru's fears for no reason like this, but he couldn't help it.

"I thought you said they weren't coming back until late spring," Yuki muttered, trying his best to hide his obvious frustration.

"Don't be rude Yuki! Besides, the sooner the better, right?"

"Sooner or later… I guess it doesn't matter. My life is due to be over anyways…" Yuki rolled his eyes.

"Yuki! If you're going to be rude, go to your room!" she snapped angrily.

"Fine. I will. Anything is better than being here," he agreed with her with no signs of protest which seemed to anger her even more.

Yuki turned around without a bow or goodbye and went straight to his room. He knew where he wanted to be, and it wasn't here, but before he could escape, his father entered the room. Yuki spun around in an annoyed manner and took a step away from the window.

"What do you want?" Yuki groaned.

His father didn't respond. He just walked around the slightly messy room, peering around and idly kicking clumps of clothes covering the floor out of his path. He silently made a mental note to assign a maid to be in charge of keeping Yuki's room tidy. This seemed to be the only room in the castle that seemed to get piled up with junk. It almost seemed out of place compared to the spotless corridors and dustless rooms that nobody used. He sighed, shoving his thoughts about the cleanliness of his son's room to the back of his mind and refocused.

"If you want me to apologize, I won't. I don't think I did anything wrong. So if that's what you want-" Yuki started to say.

"I have a deal for you," his father cut in.

Yuki looked taken aback. What could his father possibly have that he wanted? There was only one thing he wanted, and that was to be with Tohru. His father still didn't meet his gaze. Yuki leaned against his desk, awaiting an explanation from his father, but he didn't elaborate. Yuki rapped his fingers against the wooden top of the table, eager for his father to spit out whatever he had to say so he could go see Tohru already. His tacit rushing didn't help encourage his father to say anymore.

"What? What could you possible give me that'll make me agree to marry someone I don't love? Someone I don't even know?" Yuki questioned coldly.

"The person you do love…" he answered vaguely.

Yuki stared at him, not letting his shock show. His father couldn't possibly know about Tohru! How did he find out? The guard… But then why didn't he do or say anything before? Besides, what did he mean he had the person he loved? His father couldn't have kidnapped Tohru, right? Yuki had just received a call from her a little over an hour ago. His fingers grasped the table edge tautly. Even though the whole idea of his father holding Tohru hostage was ridiculous and even though he was aware of that little fact, he still couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of concern that drenched his body.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play innocent, Yuki. You know very well who I'm talking about, and I'll be willing to push off the wedding until summer if you agree to it willingly," he offered, facing Yuki for the first time.

Yuki held back his laughter. He wasn't sure whether he found his father's offer more humorous or offensive. The idea of simply just pushing the wedding off by a few months was the most absurd thing Yuki had ever heard. His father might as well tie a string around Tohru and dangle her in front of him while keeping her just out of his reach for a few months. That type of taunting would probably be more amusing than prolonging the marriage, and it'd have the same results. In the end, Tohru would just be out of his reach.

"Three more months? Wow. I'm just so delighted," Yuki said, bitter with sarcasm.

"Yuki, even a second longer with the one you love is worth it," he replied.

"You're wrong. Every second I'm with her, I just love her more and more. It'll just hurt both of us more when I do marry Machi…" Yuki responded, hints of pain showing.

Yuki sighed, burying his face in his hands. He felt so hopeless. He had known about this stupid betrothal for nearly a year, yet in all of those months, he had never come up with a single way out of this. He should have just stopped seeing Tohru when he found out he was engaged, but he didn't. He couldn't. There had been more than the magnetic force of attraction yanking him towards her. There had been their long lost love drawing him there and ruthlessly shoving his heart back into her awaiting hands.

"What are you going to do then?"  
"I don't know… But I'm not marrying Machi," Yuki answered determinedly.

"Yuki, you aren't going to be able to stop it. Nobody's asking for your opinion."

"But I can try."

His dad sighed, taking a seat on Yuki's bed. He patted the area next to him, signaling Yuki to sit. Cautiously, Yuki dropped down next to his father. He trusted his father just a tad bit more than he trusted his mother, but sadly, he had more faith in Ayame –which wasn't very much to begin with- than the two of them combined. Basically, Yuki would rather stab himself than confide in any of those three. Sometimes, Yuki wondered how he was related to anyone in this family. He would let someone get away with saying he looked vaguely like his mother and father, but personality wise, he was convinced that he had been adopted.

"Tell you what… If you can convince Machi to drop this wedding, it just might work," his dad suggested.

The not so nice thoughts of his father fluttering around in Yuki's head stopped as soon as he heard that. He was too bewildered to think much of anything. The words simply repeated themselves over and over again in his head until their meaning was comprehended. His mouth dropped an inch.

He didn't have to marry Machi.

It was almost too good to be true. Yuki partially suspected that he was dreaming, but it wasn't extraordinary enough to be a mind's creation. If this was a dream, his mother would waltz in here within five minutes to tell him that she wanted him to marry Tohru instead of Machi. He remained silent as the three hundred seconds passed, but his mother didn't come, so this couldn't be a figment of his imagination. He pinched his arm to make sure, and surely enough, he felt the pain. Suspiciously, he eyed his father. As much as he wanted to believe it, this was too good to be true.

"Are you serious?"

"I'll give you one date next week with her. If she wants to drop it, you're free. But if she still wants to get married, you'll go along with it willingly," he bargained.

"Deal."

It was worth a shot. Any chance that'd get him out of this ordeal, he'd try. No matter how low the chance was. Being able to be with Tohru was worth trekking down any trail whether it was through the blazing desert, across the freezing artic, dangerous, or all of the previous combined. Besides, even if he turned down this deal, his engagement with Machi wouldn't just disappear, no matter how badly he wanted it to, and regardless of how many shooting stars he made wishes upon.

"Good luck son… And none of this gets out to anyone else, especially your mother."

Yuki nodded, laying down on his bed. His dad smiled faintly. He didn't say anymore, and Yuki didn't push for any other deals he would like. His dad stood up and left without another word. Yuki lied there, trying to figure out what to do. After a few minutes of having no brilliant idea smack into his head, he sighed, getting out of his bed. What could he say to break off an engagement? Yuki had no idea what kind of person Machi was and what would get through to her. She seemed quiet and nice, but looks could always be deceiving. The best choice would be to come up with many ideas. Out of all of them, one was bound to work.

"Pity? Will that work? If I tell her about Tohru, will she let me go? Or what if I act rude and obnoxious? No girl would want to marry me then…" Yuki considered plan after plan. This would have been much easier if only he knew Machi even a little bit, but he didn't. He didn't know a single thing about her other than her name and her physical appearance. He couldn't understand how his mother could force him to marry a girl he had just met today. He did know that his mother had some sort of control issue though.

Most likely, this would only temporarily get him out of a betrothal. His mother would just find another girl. Knowing his mother, she probably had a whole list of other girls that would readily marry him if this engagement with Machi didn't go so smoothly. Too bad he as positive Tohru wasn't on that list. She'd probably prefer a commoner over Tohru though he would never understand how his mother could hate such a perfectly sweet angel. Then again, he hardly even considered his mother human. He doubted she even had a heart. She probably sold it the same time she had given her soul to the devil.

--

A few days later, Yuki was still making up various plans. There were only a couple of days until his date with Machi, and so far, his ideas all just seemed ridiculous. Nothing he had come up with so far even made _him_ want to cancel the engagement, and if he wasn't convinced, how could he expect some stranger to be? He crinkled up his latest notes hopelessly and hurled another failure into his overflowing trashcan. He was nowhere closer to figuring out what he was going to say to Machi, and he was already partially asleep. These past nights, he'd been staying up late trying to construct the perfect strategy. The only break he allowed himself were the couple of hours he spent with Tohru, but as soon as he came back, he went back to work.

Yuki glanced out the window at the bright moon, then back at his cell phone. He was waiting for it to start vibrating again, to signal to him that he had another message from Tohru. Impatiently, he picked it up again, flipping it open to read her last one. He had gotten it less than five minutes ago. It was a simple message.

_I love you, Yuki-kun. _

It still made his heart flutter, regardless.

Her messages always filled his heart with warmth, but after that joy faded away, it left him with a sickening feeling in the bottom of his stomach.

What if he couldn't break this engagement? What would Tohru do if she saw him marry Machi? She'd cry, and he'd die. Yuki could never stand to see her upset. There were only two things he was scared of, two things that bothered him: losing her and making her unhappy. That kind of thinking lingered after his every action, after every word he said to her. He thought twice about everything he did around her, careful not to do a thing that might make her sad. Though the first, he could live without. He could live if she wasn't with him as long as she was happy. She could move on if she found that she loved someone more than him. He wouldn't die without her, but he would if a frown ever lingered across her face for too long.

He wouldn't have much of a life without her though. She was the sunshine in his otherwise dreary, dark, emotionless life. He wouldn't be able to do much without her light and guidance to aid him, but to cage her and force her to remain by his side to keep cheer and happiness in his life would be beyond cruel. Her light and sparkle would eventually fade with that sort of treatment. He would never let her flame burn out, even if his was washed out instead. She deserved to be happy more than he did.

He flipped his phone shut and shoved it down his pants' pocket. It was late out. She had probably fallen asleep before she got his message. He sighed and laid his head on the table sleepily. He wanted to crawl under his covers and stop fighting off sleep, but he couldn't, not until he figured out a way to make Machi break the engagement. He didn't have much so far, and he couldn't rest until he was sure he had a way to get out of this arrangement. The only thing that made him continue was the thought that he was doing this for Tohru.

"Just for a second… I'll rest my eyes…"

His eyes shut for what he planned to be just a brief moment, but instead, he ended up falling into a deep slumber. His mind lured him to sleep with tempting dreams of an unlikely happily ever after ending to his and Tohru's story where they actually wound up together, and there wasn't really much convincing him to wake up. Fantasy always seemed much simpler than reality, not to mention about a thousand times better, excluding the times when he was with Tohru. To him, everything seemed a million times better if Tohru was in the picture.

"Yuki! Get up!"

Yuki jerked back in his chair, looking around the sunlit room, confused. He blinked, not fully awake yet. His head slowly maneuvered to either side of the room, searching for the source of the noise that had awakened him, but his half open eyes registered nothing other than the blinding light of the sun. The glare of the bright rays stung his eyes, but his sleepy brain didn't think to turn his face away from the windows nor to close his already partially shut eyes. Yuki nearly went back to sleep, but that voice spoke again before he plopped his head back down.

"Why weren't you sleeping in bed?"

Yuki turned towards the intruder of his room. Still half asleep, it took a moment for him to realize that it was his dad and the fact that he looked terribly angry, but who could blame the king? He had been standing there next to Yuki for over half an hour trying to get Yuki to move more than a centimeter.

It took a moment for Yuki to realize that the question had been directed towards him, and it took another second for him to interpret the meaning of the word combination. His face tilted downwards, learning for the first time that he had even been sleeping at his desk. Why _wasn't_ he sleeping in bed? Yuki glanced up at his dad, his confusion evident in his eyes. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, wondering why nobody seemed to let him sleep anymore. Even sleeping on his desk was better than being awake right now.

"Ah… It doesn't matter. Go get ready for your date," his dad ordered.

"I thought you said that was tomorrow…" Yuki mumbled.

"Well when I talked to Machi-san last night, it turned out that she's busy tomorrow so I changed it to today," he explained with a careless shrug.

Yuki's heart skipped a beat. Today. He had to go see Machi today and convince her to drop the marriage today, and he had no plan whatsoever. His stomach twisted around nervously, leaving him feeling slightly queasy.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Yuki grunted as he stood up.

"I just did, didn't I? Now go get ready. Don't blow it. It's the only chance you'll ever get."

"No pressure," Yuki muttered as he left to go get changed.

He pulled on simple clothes, not even bothering to check whether his shoes matched or not. It wasn't like today he was going to run into Tohru today. Who cared about what he looked like? Yuki did wash his face though, in attempt to fully wake up, but he was still tired no matter what he tried. Slowly, he walked downstairs to the entrance where Machi was waiting for him. As soon as she heard his footsteps, she turned away from the window she had been previously staring out, but she took no steps towards him even though he had stopped about ten feet away from her.

"Sorry for making you wait…" Yuki apologized honestly.

She didn't respond. Her face remained expressionless, void of all signs of even hearing him. Yuki walked over to her awkwardly, fighting the urge to grimace. His task would be unbelievably difficult. He could tell just by the way she stood. She stood straight up, her blank eyes staring at him, her lips firmly spread out in a straight line. He could guess she was more or less an independent girl without much of a soft side. It didn't look like his pity idea would get through to her. There went one of his few ideas.

"Er… You look nice today…" Yuki added, trying to break the silence.

"Not really…" she spoke softly with her face towards the ground.

Yuki opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came to mind. If it had been Tohru, he would have had a million things to say, but with Machi, his mind went blank. He wouldn't say Machi was ugly at all. She was dressed in a semiformal dress that cut off several inches before her ankles, and she had a thin white coat on that matched her white high heels. The front ends of her shoulder length hair were pulled back with a matching yellow bow. Not one bit horrid, but unlike Tohru, she couldn't make his heart beat erratically.

"Okay, so where would you like to go today?" Yuki asked politely.  
"…I don't know…" she answered indecisively.

"Well, do you want to stay here or go out?"

"Anywhere is fine with me…" she responded timidly.

Yuki nodded and opened the door for her. She walked out, not daring to look at him. He followed her oddly, feeling slightly out of place. With Tohru, everything was so natural, but with Machi, he had to force himself to speak and walk beside her. Just thinking of Tohru made him want to just dart away from Machi and down the long path to Tohru's home, and the only thought that kept him beside her was the fact that if he could succeed in this task, then he just might have one less reason for Tohru to become angry at him. They walked off the castle grounds and continued in complete silence.

"… So how are you this morning?"

"You don't have to say anything. I know that you don't like me," she replied, looking off into the distance.

Yuki glanced at her. Could it be that she wanted to be here even less than he did? Or did his father tell her something? He peered away from her, gazing idly at the trees surrounding the dirt trail they were walking down. He carefully thought through his response before turning his head back towards her. She had stopped walking and was staring at him with her eyebrows raised, daring him to object to her statement. He blew out the breath he had been holding and trudged back over to her.

"That's not true. I don't even know you well enough to say that I don't like you," Yuki told her truthfully.

"The point is you don't like me enough to want to marry me. So being polite and going on this date was completely pointless," she declared rather coldly.

"My thought is that you shouldn't have to marry someone your parents want you to. Whom you love and marry should be up to you, not your parents, don't you agree, Kuragi-san?"

Machi was shocked by his formal attitude. She didn't understand this guy. He wanted her to drop this engagement. He never wanted to see her ever again. So why was he bothering with being nice and respectful to her? She had had a bad impression of him since she had first heard that she would be marrying him. Machi had naturally assumed that he'd be just another one of those stuck-up, narcissistic princes, and her thoughts about him only worsened the day she met him. After a rude greeting from him, she had been sent upstairs to his room, ordered by his mother to do so, and heard him speaking to his dad about ways to get out of marrying her. Of course, she left as soon as the conversation was over so he didn't know she had even been there. His mother seemed to believe her when she said she had spoken to him.

Though she didn't show it, her surprise was obvious to him.

"I know you want me to break off this engagement."

Yuki looked at her, his eyes showing signs of confusion. She continued without looking at him, "It's okay… I don't care. Just say you want to."

"Well yes, I do… But wouldn't you rather marry someone you love instead of me?"

She looked up at him. Never in her life had someone asked her for her opinion so many times. Why did he care so much about what she thought when he didn't even love her? She eyed him accusingly, suspicious now of some underlying intent he had to have. Yuki seemed baffled by the distrustful expression she was giving him. He wasn't used to being around someone so apprehensive. No one in the castle dared to act wary around him, even if they didn't trust him, and Tohru, the person he was around the most, was trusting to the point of gullibility. He smiled at the passing thought of his beloved, but it came with concern. Who knew what kind of trouble her credulousness was getting her into now?

"Why do you even care about me?"

"Because you're a person too, Kuragi-san. And everyone needs to be cared about. I don't need to love someone romantically to care for them. So even if I sound selfish now, I hope we can be friends in the future," Yuki replied.

"Friends?"

He nodded. That had surprised her more than anything he had said today. He hardly seemed like the same guy she had met last week. She was beginning to suspect that he was bipolar. Nobody she knew ever had such drastic changes in personality. She did like this side of him a lot more though, but this perfection of his, inside and out, frightened her. She had always hated 'perfect'. Maybe that's what struck her as odd when she had first met him. All her life, she had searched for flaws in everything so she could accept them, or she'd end up making them herself. She didn't handle 'perfect' very well which meant she couldn't be with this guy.

"Go… I couldn't marry you if I tried. You're too perfect for me…" Machi mumbled.

"Perfect? No… I'm far from perfect. I can hardly protect the one I love… There are a million guys who are better than me."

"Shut up… Just go already."

"Thank you…" Yuki breathed the words delicately.

"Yuki-kun?"

Yuki turned around to face the person who had called him. He froze, staring in shock at the slender woman several feet from him. Her mouth hung open in surprise for a second before her face contorted with anguish. If she had ever experienced a mass amount of pain before, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. It seemed like her heart had just ceased to beat after he had turned around, revealing the girl that was standing beside him. Now, instead of oxygen flowing through her arteries to the rest of the body, her blood cells were carrying miniature daggers. She stared for half a minute more before turning around and darting away.

"Tohru…"

Machi turned around to catch a glimpse of Tohru before the startled girl ran off. Yuki reached out an arm towards Tohru, but she was gone. The pain in her face was worse than a knife cutting into him. From her angle, he was positive that it looked like an affair. He took one look at Machi, muttering a quick apology before running after Tohru. The wind slapped against his face, branches struck against him, and leftover dew drops from the early spring morning slipped off of tree branches and hit him as he tried to get to Tohru. It didn't seem like anyone was on his side today.

"Tohru! Wait! This isn't what it seems like!" Yuki called after her.

She had a good head start ahead of him and almost seemed too far away to catch, but there was no way he'd give up and let her shed unnecessary tears anymore. He took quicker strides, the distance separating them rapidly vanishing. Yuki reached forward, grabbing her wrist and turning her around to face him, but what he was presented with wasn't at all what he expected.

"Tohru-"

SMACK

Tohru's hand collided with his face. Anger along with sadness flashed in her eyes. Tears were streaming down her face like endless rivers. She glared at him with hurt eyes as he clutched his cheek in awe. This feeling that abruptly shot through her body wasn't due to the force by which she had just hit him with. This hurt resided in her heart, and it was indescribable. It was like someone had ripped her heart out, bursting veins, rupturing arteries, crushing her nerves. Her whole body felt as if it were being consumed by fire while someone shredded her heart into tiny shards that pieced and tore at her skin, leaving her burned and bleeding.

"I'm sorry for believing all of your lies," she bitterly spat before running away again.

Yuki stood there, dumbfounded for a minute before following after her. He barely got there in time to see her run into her home. He stared openly past the gates at the closed doors where Tohru had just passed three seconds ago, seeing nothing but the ghostly image of Tohru repeatedly running away from him. Dropping down on the cool dirt ground, he leaned against the brick wall, periodically slamming the back of his head against the stones. Today, he learned not to stop chasing something he wanted to catch, not even for a second, because anything could easily get away in the time it took to blink.

"But… You misunderstood…" he whispered as rain began to fall from the sky.

--

Tohru dashed up to her room, ignoring everyone around her. She dropped onto her bed, trying to cry out all the pain she felt. The fairytale was over. It was time to face reality, time to realize that there was no prince for her. It was overwhelming to realize that she had lost her true love and her best friend at the same time. He was both of those to her and more. He had been the one person she trusted most, the person she loved most, the person she thought would always be there for her, the person she couldn't live without, and now, he was gone.

Tohru shook her head as she shuddered on her bed, "How c-could I believe h-him…? How could I tr-trust him and believe all of his l-lies…? How did I ever let myself l-love him…?" she sobbed into her pillow.

She lifted her head at the sound of her phone ringing. She covered it with her hand, tempted to answer. It was such a natural action to pick up as soon as she saw his name flash across her phone, but this time, she whipped it across her room. She noted one thing before crying again: there was no message left. She curled up into a ball, finding it difficult to breathe. She couldn't even think. Her head was filled to the brim with images of Yuki and the other girl. Some she had seen herself, but others were of her own creation, pictures of a kiss shared and other intimate moments, but at the moment, she couldn't tell which were false and which were true anymore.

Every so often, her mind hurled an image of Yuki and her together, reminding her of what could have been.

There was a limit, a point where a person could no longer handle any more pain, and she was past her mark. She had thrown her heart at him, head over heels in love, but he was sticking pins and needles in it, playing with matches around it, treating it like some voodoo doll. He had in his possession the key to hurting her, and he was using it well. The worst part was, all along, somewhere in the back of her mind, she had known that this was too good to be true. It was just that before, she had been too blind, too numb with the anesthetic known as love, to feel the prick of the careful insertion of pain until now.

This pain hurt more than losing her mom, being kissed by Akito, and the time she had thought she had lost him put together. This time, she knew she had lost him, and it left her wondering what she had done wrong to make him jump into the arms of another woman. She didn't have an answer to that, and thinking about it just seemed to shatter her already tattered heart. The worst wounds were the ones inflicted upon the heart, though not necessarily physical injuries this time, they were just as fatal.

"He doesn't like me… He was just toying with me all along… He already has a pretty girlfriend…"

She jumped when the phone started ringing again.

"Maybe I made a mistake…" she considered, eyeing the ringing device, "No! I'm g-getting caught in his web of lies again… S-So why do I still want him to come back and tell me that it wasn't true… That he still loves me…"

Tohru slowly stood up and walked over to her window, sweeping aside her pink curtains. Tears continued to roll down her face as she stared at the vague form of Yuki just outside the edge of the forest. Unable to handle it any longer, she fled from the window and back onto her bed. Tohru lay there, refusing to cry anymore. No matter how hard the tears fought, she held them back. She wouldn't let this consume her life. She fumbled unhooking the clasp of the bracelet he had given her. Her fingers quivered, letting the jewelry slip through her fingers and tumble off the bed and onto the floor. She stared vacantly at the glimmering gold lying in a small heap on the rose colored rug beside her bed for a moment before burying her face back into her pillows again.

--

Yuki tore out his cell phone and began punching in Tohru's number at once, praying that she'd answer, but he highly doubted that she would. Regardless, he was disappointed when he was greeted by her voice mail. He tried again before dropping it back into his pocket after he reached her answering machine again, lacking any emotion other than sheer agony. He stood up, glancing up at her bedroom window only to see the flutter of her bedroom curtains. Frustrated, he cursed under his breath and smacked his fist against the brick wall.

--

"Onee-chan?"

Tohru heard Kisa's small voice as she stuck her head through the small opening of her door worriedly. Tohru picked her head up at the reference to her and turned her head towards her siblings. Having no willpower to keep her head upright, she let her head drop back down onto her pillow after she saw who it was. She kept her face turned towards the wall to keep them from noticing her blotchy face, but they could see that she had been crying from the wet pillows she had her head upon. She heard her siblings creep into her room, but she didn't acknowledge them as they came to a stop by her bed.

"Are you okay? We heard you crying…"

"I'm fine…" Tohru choked out quietly.

"What's wrong? You can tell us, right?"

Tohru didn't say anything. Kisa plopped down beside Tohru, looking at her with worried eyes as she stoked her older sister's back. Haru kept silent, eyeing the bracelet on the floor intently. He nudged it with his toes, confirming it as the bracelet Tohru had received from Yuki. Shifting his gaze from the piece of jewelry to Tohru's shaking body, he put one and one together, understanding what was wrong. He bent down to pick it up, holding it by its golden clasp. It dangled around between his fingers, the diamonds catching the sunlight and reflecting streams of color around the room.

"Is it about Yuki?" Haru spoke for the first time.

Tohru's eyes widened out of shock. How did he know? Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She flipped over, gazing at the bracelet, surprised. Tohru's hand shot forward, snatching the adornment from his fingers. Her hand locked it tightly within her first which she clenched within her other hand close to her chest. She choked back a sob, but she could feel the tears gathering on the brim of her eyes. Tohru let out a strangled breath, fighting the burning sensation in her eyes.

"Was I right?" Haru continued with a straight face.

Tohru nodded, giving up on keeping it a secret anymore. She looked away from her siblings, hoping she hadn't disappointed them in any way. She was positive that she had been neglecting them the past year, shoving them aside to spend time with Yuki instead. A tremor shot through her body at the thought of him. The tears slipped out of her eyes, and she didn't bother to conceal them. It seemed like they knew everything already, and besides, she wasn't planning on seeing Yuki ever again. Might as well let them see how infatuated she was with Yuki and how badly he had scarred her.

"How did you know…?" she breathed softly.

"About what? Yuki? Or how I knew that Yuki was the one who made you cry?"

"Both…" Tohru decided.

She stared down at the floor, her eyes blank, not letting Haru or Kisa read her expression. Her mouth remained a straight line, but the way she sat and clenched the bracelet gave it all away. Tohru bit her bottom lip, afraid that if there was no physical pain to try and balance out her mental pain, she'd crack. The pain caused from her lip chewing and from digging her nails into her palms hardly compared to the torture being inflicted upon her heart, but it did help her refrain from breaking down into hysterics. Tohru sat forward nervously like she was going to take a hit.

"Hmm… How should I put this…? Yuki used to be a good friend of mine, and you're my sister. It wasn't that hard to figure out… And why did I think he was the one who made you cry? Mainly a guess, but love hurts, Tohru. I know that much," Haru explained.

"Is that true, Onee-chan? What did he do to make you cry?" Kisa asked.

"Nothing… There's no love between us…" Tohru whispered, her voice breaking in the middle.

She couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Tohru flipped over onto her bed, soaking her pillows with new pools of tears. Her hands slid over her face, convulsing with pure dejection. Kisa patted Tohru's back, trying to comfort her. Tohru had felt rejected and unwanted earlier, but the anguish just seemed to double after hearing her own words. It was harder to control the pain now, impossible to keep it just bearable. The thought of him cheating on her had whirled around her head since that morning, but the suspicion that he had never loved her was new, and she was not dealing with it well.

Haru knelt down next to Tohru, pushing for further responses, "What do you mean by that? No love? I'd beg to differ…"

"Lies. It-It was all lies. H-He lied to me…" Tohru wept as she shook her head.

"Talk to us. What do you mean he lied to you?" he urged in a gentle voice.

Haru was determined to straighten this out. Everything she was telling him made no sense at all. Like any other older brother, he didn't want his little sister involved romantically with a man, but it had been easier to accept after he realized Tohru was no longer his baby sister. He'd be the first to admit it took a lot of time for him to get over the overprotective urges to go check on Tohru every time she snuck out. In the end, he finally was willing to regard Tohru and Yuki as a couple. Even though he had always known that sooner or later, Tohru would get back together with Yuki, he couldn't accept their relationship until recently, even though they had almost been married a year ago.

He had almost been glad when they forgot about each other. He probably would have been if not for the loss of the shimmer of happiness from her eyes after Yuki was no longer a conscious part of her life. That's how he had known she had met up with Yuki again. He had seen the return of real joy and excitement flushing in her cheeks as soon as she had returned on Kisa's birthday party. He hadn't really objected to them being together back then, but he didn't want his sister to leave him. Despite how much he wanted to deny it, even he could see that Yuki loved Tohru, and he wasn't going to let her mope around because she thought he didn't.

"He doesn't love me…" she whispered painfully.

Kisa looked at Haru with confused eyes. He gave her the same look back. Tohru just continued to cry, her whole body trembling now.

"Do you still love him?" Kisa murmured.

Tohru could only nod in response. Her heart wrenched around, trying to leap out of her chest. She just wanted her brother and sister to leave already. They were making this more difficult for her. She would have been just fine without being consciously aware of the fact that she still loved him and that he didn't love her. Tohru took in a shallow breath, struggling with her breathing. She squeezed the bracelet tighter, wishing she could somehow make the pain in her heart go away.

"So what do you mean he doesn't love you? Love is tricky, but it only works between two people…" Haru pointed out.

"Then I was blind and mistaken because he already has a girlfriend…" Tohru replied weakly with a sniffle or two in between.

"What are you saying? A girlfriend? Impossible… Are you sure you weren't jumping to conclusions? She might have been a friend," Haru suggested.

"No… I saw them together… They didn't act like brother and sister friendly…"

Kisa bit her lip, full of concern for her older sister. Haru was still convinced that she had been wrong. In his mind, Tohru and Yuki had to be together. They weren't just two sides of a coin, they were more than compatible, more than just soul mates. If anyone had to be together, he was sure it was them. They were almost like one person together, not exactly themselves unless the other was around. There had to be some way to make Tohru see what he saw. She knew Yuki better than he did –and he was sure Yuki even knew Tohru better than he did. She must have seen his eyes a lot more than he did. So it baffled him how she could have seen Yuki practically every day yet never manage to notice the love drenched eyes of his or hear the outright idolatry in his voice.

"Did they kiss or hold hands?"

Tohru shook her head. She pushed herself into a sitting position, wiping away the tears from her face. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had cried more today than she had during the whole past two months, and those months had been the same ones in which she had been harassed by Akito and when Yuki hadn't made any contact with her, leaving her thinking he hated her. She didn't want to cry anymore, even if there was a large pit where her heart used to reside, but she was too numb to feel the gnawing hurt that was slowly eroding her away. Numbness was a good thing, she realized.

"Then how are you so sure?"

"I-I just am…" she responded meekly.

"Have you talked to him? Yuki's not the kinda guy to be two-timing you or anyone for that matter," Haru encouraged her.

"No… I don't want to see him…" she trailed off unsurely.

"Are you sure? Positive that you want to throw this all away?"

She looked at him, opening her mouth to reply, but she didn't know what to say. The decision had seemed so simple earlier. Tohru hadn't thought about that yet. Confusion and pain still lingered over her thoughts. Was she ready to completely leave him? Could she do it when she still loved him completely and wholeheartedly? She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes again. The problem with stupor was that its anesthetic effects were only temporary. Her heart throbbed vehemently against her ribs, rejecting the idea of never seeing Yuki again. Indecisiveness washed over her, and she didn't know what to do anymore.

"Think about it Tohru. Be careful. Don't make the wrong choice. You already used your second chance."

Her pain was forgotten for a second as she gave him an odd look, "Second chance?"

"Never mind… Just don't do anything rash. Honestly, I think he truly does love you. Why else would he let you stay with him for a week despite all the problems it caused him, and he even helped you come up with an excuse for your disappearance. So just talk to him. Even if it isn't today or tomorrow. True love will wait as long as you need," Haru added.

Haru stood up and tugged at Kisa's arm. She got his soundless message and got up and followed him out of the room even though she was hardly ready to leave. She had barely got in her input. She didn't understand how Haru could let Tohru choose whether she wanted to talk to Yuki again or not when they both knew she'd be miserable without him. They both also knew that anger and sadness weren't known to make one think reasonably. Tohru, at least, felt the latter of the two emotions. She wouldn't be able to think clearly enough to make the right decision and listen to her heart if she was convinced that he didn't love her, though she wasn't known for thinking intelligently in the first place.

"Haru-nii? How did you know that she'll go see Yuki-nii again?" Kisa asked when they were out of Tohru's hearing range.

"I don't exactly, but when I talked to him last time-"

"The last time you yelled at him and basically told him never to see Onee-chan ever again?"

Haru smiled sheepishly and nodded, "It was the only way to get him to listen. Anyways, the last time I talked to him, he wasn't faking at all. Tohru has to have some grasping of that. Her heart will win over her brain's insistences. We both know she won't be strong enough to fight off the urge to see him."

They left Tohru with her thoughts. She sat there, fingering the bracelet, even more confused than before. If he wasn't cheating on her, then she had hurt him for no reason at all, and there was that chance that he was angry at her for lacking trust in him, but if that was the case, why didn't he tell her anything about this friend of his? The only thing left to do was find out for sure, but Tohru wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle the truth. If she misinterpreted him, she'd have more than an apology owed to him, but if he was cheating on her, she wouldn't know what she'd do. She dropped back down on her bed, crying herself to sleep.

--

Yuki trudged inside the large oak doors of his home. At this point, it seemed unreasonable to clear things out with Tohru. She wouldn't listen. He knew her well enough to know that. Maybe if he gave her some time to be alone, she'd relax a bit. His only hope now was that she'd give him a chance to explain himself. If she couldn't manage to even be mad at Akito for what he did to her, then she couldn't hold a grudge against him, right?

As soon as he got inside, his parents were waiting for him.

"What did you do to poor Machi-san?" his mother asked immediately.

"What do you mean?" Yuki asked back curtly.

He wasn't in the mood to confront his mother at the moment. His short meeting with Tohru left him in worse than a foul mood. The last person he wanted to hear about was Machi and his engagement to her when he knew those were the very reasons Tohru hated him at the moment, but those two things just happened to be the only thing his mother wanted to ramble about. He stood as close to the exit of the parlor as he could without actually leaving the room, trying to tacitly let his parents know how desperately he wanted to leave, but they ignored his position.

"Well, a little while ago, Machi-san told us she wanted to break off the engagement, and your cheek is red… So she slapped you… You must have done something terrible to that poor girl, but luckily, I was able to convince her to stay engaged. Isn't that the most extraordinary news you've heard?" his mother smiled, delighted.

"You did what?!" Yuki asked incredulously.

He gingerly raised his fingertips to his face, touching his cheek. It stung madly. Tohru must have been furious. He had always doubted her even having a violent side, never believed she could hurt anything, but he had been wrong after all. He lowered his hand, refusing to show any emotion. His mother raised her eyebrows at him, expecting him to tell her what had happened on his date with Machi, but he kept his mouth firmly closed. It took her a minute to realize he wouldn't elaborate. Her expression darkened, and she shooed him away with a flick of her wrist.

"Well, Machi-chan is waiting to talk to you in your room," his mother added.

"What?" Yuki paused in the middle of his eager step.

"Well of course you two have some wedding plans to discuss," she explained dully, glancing down at her fingernails.

Fuming, Yuki turned to leave without another word. Could his day get any worse? First, Tohru caught him with Machi, accusing him of cheating, then he learned that he hadn't even gotten out of the engagement, and now, his arranged fiancée was up in his room waiting to discuss the wedding with him. He considered not even going to his room and just hiding in a guest room until she left instead, but his dad stood up and ushered him into an empty room before he came to a final decision. Yuki wearily faced his father.

"What do you want?" Yuki questioned in a bitter voice.

"It's about out deal…"

"It's off. I know. She didn't decline apparently." Yuki rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry son… It was worth a shot though…"

Yuki turned around sharply and left. It was pointless to try and get out of this situation again. He just had to face the fact that he was doomed. He swung open the door and walked in his room. Machi sat in a chair, waiting for him. He ignored her, going straight to his closet and pulling out a clean outfit. Without a glance in her direction, he entered his bathroom and locked the door behind him. Yuki threw his fist against the marble top of his sink angrily. He had to let out his fury somehow. He pounded the innocent stone several more times before muttering a curse and bending over to pick up the shirt he had tossed aside a minute ago.

After he changed, he washed the mud and dirt off of his face. He winced as his fingers ran over his cheek. Yuki looked at his reflection. His left cheek was redder than he had anticipated. Tohru must have been deeply wounded by what she had seen. Yuki shook his head, deciding not to think about it for now. There was no need to torture his heart with thoughts of his beloved who detested him more than anything right now, but everything reminded him of her. She had stayed in his room for a week and left enough memories to last him a lifetime. Slowly he dried his face off with a towel and shoved the wet towel and his soiled shirt into the hamper, the thing that had crushed Tohru and made her hurt her head. He slammed it as if that would punish it for its misdeed.

When he finally went back into his room, he found Machi in the same position as before with the same dull expression. She hadn't even moved an inch. He sighed and took a seat in the chair across from her. She didn't say anything. She just kept staring out the window instead of looking across the table at him.

"I'm not going to marry you. What the hell were you thinking? Are you trying to make my life the worst you possibly can manage?" Yuki asked slowly, trying his best not to yell.

"I'm not trying to ruin your life," she glared at him, "Your mother made me."

Yuki crossed his arms across his chest, doubting her, "And how did she do that?"

They glowered at each other for a minute, "She said that if I didn't… She'd kill my brother. She already had him exiled…"

Yuki looked honestly shocked to hear that. His wide eyes quickly shifted over from shock to remorse, "I'm sorry… I didn't know… I wasn't aware that she liked to torture people other than me…"

Machi made an unsatisfied sound and shifted her face away from him, going back to staring out the window. All positive thoughts she had of him had vanished as soon as he had accused her of wanting to ruin his life, but his genuine apology had caught her off guard, and it made her think slightly better of him. She'd rather die than let him know that though. Still, she couldn't blame him for yelling at her. If she were him, she probably would have thrown herself out as soon as she saw herself here.

"Well now you do. Forget about it. I'll deal with it. It's practically his fault anyways. He took his practical joke too far… So how did she take it earlier?" Machi asked.

"Terribly. I don't think I've ever seen her angry before… She didn't even want to listen to me. I couldn't get through to her at all…" Yuki answered, disappointedly.

"I'm sorry… I can only imagine what she was thinking…" Machi murmured.

She looked down apologetically. Yuki gave her a halfhearted smile. He could see now that Machi really wasn't as bad as he had made her out to be. She probably would have been someone he could have loved if he wasn't already irrevocably in love with Tohru. His love for Tohru was permanent and everlasting. He could only pray that Tohru's love for him was half as unalterable as his was for her. At least then he could be sure she still cared for him. He knew she loved him. He just couldn't be sure of how deep that love ran, whether he occupied a large portion of her heart or a small corner. The only thing he was positive about was that she _was_ his heart. There was no space of his heart that wasn't filled with her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to give up on her."

"So why aren't you trying to talk to her?" she demanded.

"Oh… That's because right now, she won't listen to I word I say. I think she needs some time to calm down…" Yuki replied grimly.

Machi slammed her fists against the table, jumping up to her feet. Yuki jolted up, surprised by her sudden boldness. He stared at her with bewildered eyes, baffled by the anger flashing across her face. What on earth had he said to make her so angry? She shook her head disapprovingly, and narrowed her eyes at him, wondering whether he really loved that girl or not. What kind of guy would rather let the girl he supposedly loves suffer unnecessarily instead of clearing things up with her?

"Bad idea! The first thing you should have done was clear things up with her! Now that she's mad, she doesn't want to see you, right? So the more time that passes, the more time she gets used to not being around you. Sooner or later, she won't even need you to love her. When she moves on out of spite, what are you going to do?" Machi questioned.

"Even if I did clarify things with her, I'd only end up disappointing her. I may sound pathetic, but I don't want to confront her until I have some sort of solution. I think it'll hurt her ten times worse if she knew that I do love her but I can't be with her than if she believes I cheated on her," Yuki explained thoughtfully.

Machi was quiet, digesting what he had just said. At least those thoughts of her suffering had even crossed his head. Maybe he did love this Tohru as much as he claimed to. It sounded reasonable enough, but she still didn't think it was the best idea. She stood there for a second before reaching into her dress pocket and pulling out a sheet of paper. Carefully she slid it across the table to Yuki and dropped back down into her seat, waiting for him to take the note, but he only stared at it as if it were poison.

"What's this?"

"Your solution. Now go and talk to her," Machi ordered.

Yuki glanced at her before picking it up. Slowly, he unfolded it and read it to himself. It was an address and not one he recognized. He flipped it over and looked at the crudely drawn map on the back. This didn't seem much like a solution. He flipped the paper between his fingers, searching for something he was missing, but no new piece of information stuck out at him nor did any comprehension reach him. Giving up on figuring this out on his own, he held the crinkled piece of paper towards her, deciding to ask.

"What is it?"

"Your new home," she said bluntly.

"What?"

"Your new home. They're not going to let you two be together here obviously. The only solution is to run away. That's where you can stay," she shyly responded.

Glancing down at the chicken scratches on the back that was supposed to be a map, Yuki tried to get a relative idea of where this place may be, but nothing came to mind. He traveled enough to be familiar with most of the country, but the wavy line from the little box labeled 'start' to the black 'x' labeled 'finish' was alien to him. This map wouldn't be much help either since the line he was supposed to follow wasn't even continuous. It had a gap about an inch long directly in the middle, and the landmarks drawn didn't look like they'd be beneficial either. Somehow, he got the feeling that a _big rock_ _next to a small tree _wouldn't help him determine where this new home of his would be. His only clue would be the address. The destination might as well be on another planet. He'd probably have a better chance of locating it if it were.

"I don't know what to say…" Yuki muttered.

"Don't say anything! Just go see her already!" Machi urged.

"It's nighttime. She'll be sleeping," Yuki whispered.

"Even better. You said she won't listen so it's your perfect opportunity now!" Machi encouraged.

Yuki laughed lightly as he got to his feet. She seemed more determined for him to fix this situation with Tohru than he did, but that was possibly due to the fact that she didn't seem to have any doubts in his ability to make up with Tohru while he had just over a hundred. Tohru hardly seemed like it, but she was more stubborn than he was. Once she was convinced of something, it was extremely difficult to change her mind, and right now, the scene with him and Machi had persuaded her that he had been cheating on her.

"How can I repay you?" Yuki asked.

"How about making things up with her? Besides, this was mostly the work of your brother, not me," Machi added.

"I see… I should go thank him then…" Yuki mused as he stood up.

"You should go see her! Thank him later!" she exclaimed.

Machi hopped back to her feet, blocking him from even taking a step near the door, and shoved Yuki towards the window. Yuki shook his head with a small smile as he placed his hand on the window frame, stopping himself from falling through the glass and cracking his skull open. He turned around to give her a farewell, but she just pointed back to the window. Yuki partly rolled his eyes, but he obediently climbed halfway out the window, pausing to thank her again.

"Thanks… I really appreciate it…"

He smiled again before climbing downwards. Questions started bombarding him before his feet even made contact with the grass. What was he going to say first? He knew he didn't want to start with 'I'm sorry' since that made it sound like he _did_ do something wrong. He was leaning towards starting with reminding her that he did love her. He could catch her by surprise and use her pause to his advantage. Those thoughts were forgotten as soon as his subconscious reminded him he wasn't sure what he would do once he got to her home. He doubted Tohru would appreciate him breaking into her room again, but what other choice did he have? She wouldn't open the window for him if he knocked. He sighed hopelessly as he continued running.

--

Tohru lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Part of her wanted to run to where Yuki was, but the other half wanted to keep away from him. This day had been a roller coaster for her, and it left her torn. Right now, the ride just continued to spiral downwards, and she couldn't sleep anymore. With a toss of her legs, she was up. She glanced at her cell phone which lay on top of her nightstand. She hadn't received another call from him since that afternoon when she hadn't been in the mood to talk to him. Tohru wanted to speak with him –well at least a part of her did- but didn't want to be the one to call.

"Mom… What should I do?" she whispered as she stood up.

She started to make her way over to the window for some fresh air, but she never made it there. Along the way, she bumped into her nightstand clumsily and dropped to the ground. Tohru sat there, rubbing her knee. She frowned, ready to cry, not out of physical pain, but at the throb in her chest.

She was alone.

No one was here to catch her when she fell or to help her up. Now, she realized how much he had been helping her. Without him, she felt so helpless. She didn't just want him, she _needed _him as much as she needed to breathe. Tohru swiped at the tears that were began to slide out of her eyes.

Tohru felt someone grab her wrists and pull her off the ground. Her eyes doubled in size at the sight of Yuki. Feeling her legs turn into pure jelly, Tohru wobbled unsteadily. She probably would have fallen back over if not for Yuki who still had his hands wrapped around her wrists. Tohru was much too shocked to see him here to say or do anything other than stare. She was tempted to reach out her hands and touch him to see if he was just a figment of her imagination after all, but his voice broke her out of her trance before she did something humiliating.

"Hey…" he greeted lightly.

Her heart fluttered at the smooth sound of his voice, betraying her. How could he still make her stomach do back flips like that or make her heart race so when she was furious with him?

"W-what are you doing here- How did you get in here?! W-why are y-you here…?" Tohru asked.

She pulled her hands out of his, daring to let her shaky legs support her. Yuki kept his hands out towards her, ready to catch her if her legs gave in and as an invitation for her to come back to him, but neither happened. Seeing her begin to inch away from him, he lowered his arms, wanting her to feel at ease. She remained tense, continuing to shy away from him a bit. Tears were dripping down her face, but she made no move to dry them. She kept her arms wrapped around her abdomen as if she were in physical pain. Yuki winced. He couldn't take the hurt look across her face. Placing his hands around her trembling shoulders, he stooped down slightly to see her lowered eyes.

"Why…? Because I love you," he answered, looking directly into her eyes.

Tohru shook her head, backing away from him, responding in a hurt voice, "N-no you don't. T-that's w-why you w-were with an-another woman."

Yuki reached out to pull her back towards him, but she shrank away from him before he could touch her.

"I don't want you here anymore… G-get out, p-please… Y-you don't l-love me… I don't want to see you anymore…" Tohru whispered in a voice barely audible to Yuki.

She placed both her hands on his chest, shoving him away from her with as much force as she could conjure up –which wasn't very much. Yuki grabbed her hands, restraining her from her withdrawal. He held her there gently, not budging an inch despite her attempts to break free. He tugged her closer to him, lulling her protests. It sickened her to feel how secure and comfortable she still felt in her arms despite the angry thoughts racing through her head. She choked on a sob, trying to shove the lump lodged in her throat back down.

"Tohru, don't jump to conclusions, please. How many times do I have to tell you I love you until you believe me?"

Tohru looked away, still using all of her body weight to try to break out of his hold, but he still kept her there. He was stronger, a lot stronger than her, a lot stronger than Akito had been, but unlike Akito, he didn't make her wrists hurt at all. She froze and stopped struggling, glancing at him with wide terrified eyes. Just the passing thought about Akito was enough to frighten her. Her eyes instantly started watering, and Yuki immediately released her when he heard her sniffle. He moved his hands to her cheeks, kneeling down to gauge to expression across her downcast face.

"I'm sorry, Tohru… Are you okay? I shouldn't have been so rough… Forgive me?" Yuki apologized frantically.

She glanced up at him before slipping away from him and jumping back onto her bed, burying her face against a pillow. Tohru didn't want him to see the reluctance to make him leave in her eyes. She didn't doubt her love for him one bit. She knew she loved him completely. It was his love she wasn't so sure about. He wasn't like Akito one bit though, not from the way he held her or from the way he apologized. Tohru couldn't help but trust him or love him, but a part of her kept rejecting him, constantly replaying the image of him with Machi in her head.

"N-No! I-I'm not okay! I'm not okay… I'm h-hurt and sad… I'm e-even mad at you… Who is she?" Tohru choked out between her tears, turning her head in his direction.

Yuki hesitantly walked over to her and dropped down before her, daring to lift his hand and sweep her hair from her face. He paused, staring in her eyes before speaking. Tohru held her breath, forcing herself to keep her eyes locked with his and her sobbing down to a minimal so she could hear what he was going to say.

"I'm going to tell you straight out. Her name is Machi, and she's supposed to be my fiancée," Yuki confessed.

She looked up at him with teary eyes, not quite understanding what he was trying to say. Her bottom lip quivered, and she could hardly see him anymore through her thick veil of tears. That hardly sounded better than him cheating on her, and yet, he didn't sound very apologetic. He laced his fingers through hers, making her jolt the slightest bit. She wanted to withdraw her hand, but she couldn't. She frowned, reminding him that she was still angry with him and hardly wanted to hold hands, but he paid no mind to her expression, or at least, he didn't let her know how much that sullen look bothered him.

Yuki continued, "My father made a deal with me. If I got her to back out of the engagement, I wouldn't have to marry her."

"So… So you d-didn't want to m-marry her?" she asked quietly.

He paused, slipping his hands out of hers momentarily. He ran his thumb across her lips with a strange expression that she didn't understand. He frowned, both of his hands now on her cheeks, "You have no faith in me whatsoever, do you?"

Tohru flinched, shocked to hear that stated aloud. Her cheeks darkened a bit as she dropped her head to keep him from reading the response in her eyes as if he couldn't read her body movement. She turned away from him, pretending to be interested in the design of her wallpaper. Yuki's hand wrapped around her shoulder, gently flipping her back over to face him. Tohru bit her lip, worried about what he would say. She did love him, but she found it hard to believe that someone like her would be enough for someone like him.

"No, of course not. There's only one person I want to marry… And that's you."

Her face flared bright red. She sank her head back down, hiding her face under her pillow. Yuki chuckled slightly as he lifted the pillow off her head. His hands lingered in the air, about to brush the hair from her face, but froze when he noticed the bracelet he had given to her on his birthday lying on the corner of her bed, about to slide off and land somewhere under her bed. He picked it up and pried open one of her fists, placing the jewelry in her palm. Her fingers shut around the cold metal, embarrassed to have him find it lying carelessly in her room.

"Besides, it was an arranged marriage," Yuki went on without hesitation.

Tohru smiled faintly, blinking away her tears as she lifted her head. She used her arm to dry her face. Tohru squirmed over to him and threw her arms around her neck, clinging to him tightly with the bracelet still enclosed safely within one of her hands.

"I'm glad…" She whispered faintly, "So are you free of the marriage?"

"Not quite… She ended up deciding she wanted to marry me after all," Yuki muttered.

Tohru tensed, pressing herself more closely against him in an almost possessive manner. He chuckled slightly at the way she was acting. It was interesting to see his too-nice-for-her-own-good Tohru jealous. Yuki leaned forward, pulling her out of her tummy down position into a kneeling one by tugging on her thighs. He settled back into her arms after slipping her feet out from under her and leaving her sitting on the bed, sure that this embrace was more comfortable for her than having her hug him while lying on her belly. Tohru's arms never left his neck.

"Don't be mad at her... It's my mother's fault. She threatened to kill her brother…" Yuki explained.

"Oh… I'm sorry…" Tohru mumbled.

"Again, you're apologizing for something you had no part in," Yuki chuckled before becoming grave again, "Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?

After nodding, Tohru paused for a second, now clutching his neck tightly enough to strangle him as she spoke, "Yuki-kun, do you remember the time I was crying from my nightmares?"

Yuki wrapped his hands around hers, loosening them a bit so he could speak, "Yes, why?"

"I'm ready to tell you why I was crying… Even though I knew about _him_… I just pushed him to the back of my mind, hoping he would disappear, and he did. In a way. He disappeared from my head… I think I made myself forget about him… But then he came back… He's supposed to be my future husband…" Tohru confessed weakly.

He could feel her trembling as she spoke of him. Yuki wrapped his arms around her back, dragging her off the bed. He cradled her in his arms, letting her sit on his lap. She clenched the hem of his shirt tightly, terrified again. He held her closer, planting a kiss on the top of her head after he dug the bracelet out from her hands and clasped it around her wrist. Feeling better, Tohru smiled, straightening up in his arms. She locked her legs and arms tightly around his chest. She had expected him to take that badly, but he didn't seem the least bit bothered by it, which made her feel worse about how she had reacted to seeing him with Machi.

"I think you're the one for me…" she murmured.

"How silly…" he mused.

"Wh-what?"

Her heart froze. She panicked, releasing him instantly. She jumped off of him a bit too quickly for her grace. Tohru tumbled onto the ground, fumbling to get off of his lap. She stared at his innocent face which was cocked to the side with confusion.

He grinned, "I _know_ you're the one for me."

Tohru made an attempt to scowl at him to let him know how _pleased_ she had been by his teasing, but she couldn't help but beam out of relief –not that she was capable of glowering at anyone. Yuki chuckled as he drew her back into his arms. Snuggling against his chest, she locked her arms around his shoulders. She stared around her darkened room, suddenly grateful that she hadn't gotten around to tossing out everything he had given her. She smiled and pecked his cheek, thankful that she had him. Tohru had no idea what she'd do without him. She knew she only had a limited amount of time with him left. It would only be a matter of time before she had to go marry Akito and he'd have to go marry Machi.

"What are we going to do?" she could barely say.

"… Tohru, do you love me?" he asked softly.

"Yes… Do you have to ask?"

He ignored her question, "Do you want to be with me forever, like I want to be with you?"

"Of course… But why are you asking?" she broke her hold on him, pulling back to look him in the eye. She couldn't follow where he was going with these questions. Confused, she blinked and tilted her head to the side. She placed the tip of her forefinger on her bottom lip, trying to figure out what he was trying to say. He smiled at her frustrated expression, smoothening the wrinkles on her forehead with a quick kiss, and then he lowered his eyes to hers seriously.

"I know this may sound rash, and you might not be ready, but I've given this a lot of thought. I know it sounds a bit unreasonable, but… Will you run away with me?" he asked her.

She could only peer up at him. His request had come to be a complete surprise to her. Tohru wasn't prepared for this question or even his arrival. All she could say was, "What?"

"It's the only way for us to be together… Please? Nobody here will support our relationship… Well maybe a few, but it won't make much of a difference. So will you come with me to somewhere far away where we don't have to sneak out and hide to be together?" he responded calmly.

She bit her lip, trying to think through their situation carefully. Her heart was fluttering excitedly, obviously agreeing with his plan. Sure, she'd love to be able to be with him without worrying about keeping it from everybody, but she didn't want to leave her brother and sister. Besides, there were so many things that could go wrong. A guard from either of their homes could stumble upon them, or they might run across some violent bandits… But it was hard to think of bad case scenarios when her heart was dwelling upon the chance of seeing Yuki more often.

"What do we have left to lose?" he muttered.

"Our lives!" Tohru squeaked.

"My life is nothing without you."

Tohru fought back a blush, wanting to continue to think clearly.

"B-but where will we go?"

Yuki didn't say anything. He shifted her over to the ground next to him, and reached into his pocket. Tohru sat cross-legged next to him, leaning over to look at the piece of paper he now had in his hands. He unfolded it, handing it to her. Tohru squinted in the dark to read it, using the moon as her light source. She could see an unfamiliar address printed across one side and an assembly of scribbles on the other. Tohru reread the address again but wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Where is this?"

"I'm not so sure. My brother found it…" Yuki replied honestly.

"But if you're not positive, then isn't it risky?"

"Tohru, you have to understand that I can't spend the rest of my life without you. I can hardly last a day away from you. I need you. Even if the chance is slim, I'll take the risks. I want to be with you. Sooner or later, you know, someone will find out about us, and we'll be forced away anyways. We might as well try this, and even if we are caught, at least, we would have had that time together, am I right? Can you take this chance with me? Please?" he asked determinedly.

"If it means I can stay with you, then I'll do it… I'll do anything if you're there with me," she barely whispered.

"Good. I wasn't too fond of the idea of kidnapping you…"

"Yuki!" she squealed in a half whisper,

She burrowed her face against his sleeve embarrassedly. He laughed as he stroked the top of her head, crushing her to the side of his chest. She was sure her whole body was flushing at the moment. She felt like she had a fever due to the rush of blood. Thankfully, the darkness hid the red shade of her skin well. She timidly peeked up at him, but shifted her eyes down at the floor when she found him staring back at her. Feeling him shake with laughter, Tohru squished her eyes shut, but regardless of how humiliated she was, she couldn't help but smile with him. She had missed this simple rush of joy she got when she was with him.

"I guess I'll leave you alone now… But get ready. I'll be back for you tomorrow," he told her when the hysteria passed.

"Tomorrow?" she asked in a startled voice.

He nodded in response as he stood up.

"The sooner the better. Besides, I can't wait to be together," he smiled softly, "Imagine what it'll be like to be able to walk through towns together without having to worry about someone seeing us!"

She blushed again. Maybe this wasn't the best choice, but it was definitely better than being apart. She wouldn't last very long without him. Tohru had known that, even when she thought he didn't love her. Yet, somehow all her anger and pain disappeared in the short amount of time that he had been here. Tohru couldn't even remember how it felt to be upset with him. It was just so much more natural to love him and feel warmth radiate through her body when she thought of him. Being angry with him and having tears bubble down her cheeks when someone mentioned his name felt more like a dream than something she had actually done.

"I'll be ready," she whispered to him.

He leaned towards her and pressed his lips to her cheek. He kept them there for a minute –long enough for his lips to feel the warmth of her flushed face- before muttering against her skin, "Don't bring too much. Just what you need…"

"Okay…"

He pulled away and smiled at her. Tohru beamed at him and tossed her arms around his neck, stretching her neck towards him to give him a kiss, but she gasped when she noticed his bruised cheek. She released him, her hands immediately moving to his injured cheek, dancing around his face worriedly. The fact that she had hit him was brutally shoved back into her head. She had forgotten all about that. She gingerly ran her fingers over the bruise, wincing as if she had been the one struck.

"I h-hit you… I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" Tohru squeaked.

"Kiss it better."

"W-what?" Tohru breathed.

"You heard me, Tohru."

Tohru looked down for a brief moment before looking up at his face. His eyes followed her every move, glossed over with complete solemnity, hiding the humor deep within. She moved her hands off his face and leaned towards him ever so slowly and carefully placed her lips on the bruise. He chuckled after she timidly pulled away, both equally shocked that she had actually followed through with his request. Tohru stole a glance up at his beaming face, but she still felt guilty about the injury she had inflicted upon him. Even if he didn't seem to be bothered by it, she was.

"I was only kidding, but it's all better now," He grinned.

"No it's not… It's still bruised… I'm so sorry…" Tohru whispered.

"So, what do you want me to do about it? I can't very well make it go away, but Tohru, I don't blame you for it. Can you understand that?"

"B-but… I st-still hit y-you…" Tohru whimpered.

"No more arguing, and go to sleep. You'll need your energy tomorrow," he pointed out.

Tohru scrunched her face up in disagreement, but she didn't protest vocally. She didn't make a move towards her bed either. He stared at her, gesturing towards her bed with a tilt of his head, but she shook her head and crossed her arms across her chest. Yuki groaned as he lifted her up, not particularly bothered by the fact that he had to carry her to her bed but by her refusal to rest. He set her down gently on the pink bed and started to pull away, but her arms locked him in place beside her bed.

"Wait! D-don't leave me yet," Tohru pleaded.

"Tohru, I'm not leaving you, _ever. _I have to go home, but I'll be back. I love you. Don't worry about that," Yuki smiled.

Tohru flushed, "That's n-not what I m-meant!"

Yuki laughed, "I know. I just wanted to remind you for the miniscule chance that you might believe me this time."

She clenched her teeth together, choosing not to respond to his comments. It was difficult, unbelievably difficult to be able to grasp the fact that someone who could clearly have any girl he wanted didn't want anyone but her, just some regular ordinary girl. She couldn't tell him that. Nope. It'd just hurt his feelings, and she was sure she'd done enough of that already with her slapping and lack of trust. Tohru clung to him, laying her cheek on top of his shoulder. She could feel his face rest on her neck, and for the briefest moment, his lips made contact with the skin above her collarbone.

"I love you, Yuki-kun…"

"I love you too… Ready to sleep now?" he questioned, slipping out of her arms despite her attempts to pull him back.

Tohru shook her head determinedly. He sighed. Yuki glanced up at her eyes for a second before suddenly sweeping his arms under her legs and shifting her out of her kneeling position and made her lie down on her back. He had her blanket covering her before she could blink. Yuki sat down on the edge of her bed, keeping one hand on her shoulder to keep her from squirming back up. She pouted at him, but he only smiled in return. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead after whispering, "Goodnight Tohru…"

Tohru latched her hands around his arm before he could even retreat, "Don't go yet, please?" Tohru begged.

"Tohru, be reasonable… You need your rest," Yuki reminded her.

"I don't care about rest! I-I just want to see you…" Tohru admitted shyly.

"Tohru, you are seeing me, right now," Yuki pointed out.

"B-but I'm not ready for you to go," Tohru insisted.

She didn't want him to leave her alone for even a second anymore. She wasn't sure if she could handle it without breaking down. Tohru tightened her hold around his arm, already feeling the tears struggle to her eyes. Yuki sat back down on her bed with a sigh, wrapping his free arm around her back. He could feel her relax slightly as he quietly stroked her hair until she turned her face towards him. Yuki smiled at her before kissing the tip of her nose. Her fingers drifted over her face, releasing him. He could have taken this chance to go, but he didn't want to leave her until he was positive that she would be fine without him at her side.

"Believe me, I'll be back, I'm not breaking up with you, I love you, and I would never even dream about seeing any other girl but you. You know that, right?" Yuki murmured to her.

Tohru slowly lowered her hands from her face and nodded. He carefully eased his arms off of her shoulders, but she caught the tips of his fingers with hers. She squeezed them tightly in his, still not ready for him to leave. She didn't dare to check what kind of expression was sprawled across his face, so she kept her eyes glued on his fingers which were starting to turn slightly purple. Tohru quickly peered up at his face to make sure he wasn't in any pain before letting go of his hand, replacing it with her blanket which was in no danger of having its blood supply cut off.

Yuki smiled and patted her head, "Good because I'm not sure how else I can convince you of that."

"Then why do you want to leave so quickly?" Tohru mused out loud.

"Because it'd be awfully suspicious if you woke up in the middle of the afternoon because I kept you up all night," Yuki responded.

"Does it matter? Yuki-kun, aren't we leaving tomorrow?"

"Not if someone figures out that we're together before tomorrow night which means you have to sleep and wake up when you usually do," Yuki reminded her.

Tohru stared idly at a loose thread in his shirt, wanting to prolong the moment as long as she could. It was past midnight, way past her usual bedtime, but she didn't care. She wasn't even tired, but he did have a point there. Giving in, Tohru looked up at him and smiled for a second before meeting his lips with her own. He seemed shocked at first, but it didn't take long for his fingers to wind themselves into her long brown hair, getting tangled in the silky trap. Their lips danced with one another for a minute before she pulled away, out of breath.

"Okay… You can go now…" she breathed.

"But I don't want to now…" he muttered.

She let him kiss her again, and she happily returned his kisses, locking her arms around his neck, for another few minutes before she tried to pull back again. She got nowhere for a while, though the kisses weren't necessarily unwanted. Tohru wasn't even sure he could feel her attempts to end the kiss, though by now, she wasn't sure she even wanted to end it anymore. Eventually, the need for oxygen won over, and it was over, leaving both of them breathless. She smiled at him, beaming as he bent over to give her another kiss on the forehead.

"You should go now…" Tohru breathed.

"Yes ma'am."

Giggling, she pecked his check, "See you tomorrow."

"Sleep well, princess," Yuki whispered.

After a quick embrace, he snuck out her window silently, but tomorrow night, she'd be the one slipping out that window, and instead of separating, they'd be meeting one another. Hopefully…


	29. Depth of His Love

Nightfall couldn't have taken any longer to arrive. She had packed all her necessities hours ago, and by now, her goodbye letter to Haru and Kisa was eight pages long. With the time she had, she had turned a simple letter, stating that she wasn't going to be home for an unknown amount of time and that she would be fine wherever she was, into a letter reminding them that she did love them, even though at the moment, she was choosing Yuki over the two of them. She just hoped they'd forgive her for doing this, but there wasn't much else she could do to be constantly around the one her heart ached to be with.

Tohru sighed as she slid the letter under her pillow. Kisa and Haru would find it soon enough. Hopefully, they'd locate it before they called the police.

She paced around her room, waiting impatiently for the green numbers on her digital clock to signal midnight, the time Yuki had instructed her to leave her room. After what seemed more like an eternity rather than a mere hour, it was time. Tohru grinned to herself, dancing over to her door to make sure it was locked before she grabbed her luggage out from under her bed. Quickly, she tied the end of her escape rope to the handle of her suitcase and carefully lowered it out her window and onto the bushes below.

After another quick scan outside, she lowered herself down the castle wall and onto the soft shrubs. Fumbling with excitement, it took her a minute to free her small duffle bag from the shackle of the rope. Once she had managed to liberate the case, she somehow was able to scurry over the next wall and get off the castle grounds without hurting herself.

Immediately, she began her search for where Yuki was waiting. She peered side to side, searching for a glimpse of his silver hair, but she saw nothing but trees and faint blurs of wildlife. It didn't take long for her to begin to worry, her mind conjuring up pessimistic images against her will. He could have forgotten, or he might have been kidding about running away with her, or even worse, he could have been caught and hurt. These thoughts were more overwhelming than she had thought possible. They were so realistic that she froze where she was standing, lost in her gloomy world until she felt someone take her hand.

Startled, she jumped.

"Tohru, are you all right?" Yuki asked her worriedly.

"Y-yes!" Tohru squeaked, distraught with relief.

He smiled before taking her suitcase from her. Tohru glanced at her luggage briefly, not wanting to force him to hold it for her, but she knew it would be useless to protest. Yuki held onto her fingers with his other hand, leading her down the path of the forest, careful to steer clear of direct moonlight where a nearby guard may easily spot them. When they had walked far enough that the castle was only a small dot in the distance, he no longer purposely avoided the streams of white light, and whenever he did wind up walking within the moon's range, she could swear her breath would catch in her throat as she gazed at the heavenly creature beside her.

The moonlight would glisten off his silver locks, and his pale skin seemed to glow against the black night surroundings. Tohru would have stared in amazement the rest of the way if he didn't somehow know whenever her eyes were glued on him. He would turn his face towards her and flash her a perfect smile that probably aroused the envy of every divinity. She couldn't believe he wanted her to live with him, but even so, his presence didn't relieve her of all her concerns. Tohru wanted to run away with him, but there were so many things she wasn't sure she was prepared for and many people she didn't think she was ready to part with. She gripped his hand uneasily, and she felt him squeeze her hand back in response.

"Do you want to go back?" he asked her.

She shook her head no. There was no doubt that she was terrified and nervous, but returning home now hadn't crossed her mind. The thought seemed unthinkable. After all of this, neither of them was going to turn back willingly. They had been through too much to be able to pretend their relationship had never happened. At this moment, that just seemed physically impossible. Too much pain had been endured, too much time spent with each other, too many feelings of love. When they were apart, they could only feel the empty space and the longing to be with the other. The sense of being incomplete without the other just seemed to magnify all the time, and that was just the surface of their relationship. Their love held so much depth that it was difficult not to drown in the pools of pure affection.

Yuki wasn't convinced that this was what she wanted. What he was leaving behind was easy. He was abandoning a cruel mother, a father he hardly knew, an annoying cousin, and a brother he wanted to strangle. Even though he knew her aunt and uncle weren't the most pleasant people around, he also was aware of the fondness she held for her two siblings. It was a selfish thing, taking her away from her family just so he could be with her, but she claimed she wanted this just as badly as he did. She smiled up at him, and he shook his head, clearing his head of his darker thoughts and changed the subject.

"We have to walk a bit, I'm afraid…" Yuki mused.

Tohru peered up at him with an untroubled smile, "I don't mind."

He laughed a bit. She was so easy to please and keep cheerful. Almost too easy. Half the time, he had to wonder whether she was really happy or if she was just pretending. Either she was a flawless actress, he was blind, or she really was what she insisted she was: content just to be with him. He beamed, tugging her to the nearest train station. He partially shuddered when he stepped inside the building. Public transportation. Yuki grimaced as he gripped her hand tightly, afraid of what this train station was contaminated with.

Tohru, on the other hand, was having an excellent time. Her eyes flew around the building with delight, taking note of each person sitting in a plastic chair, waiting for his train, every crack in the tiles they stepped upon, the once pink gum pressed against the wall, the plastic plants picking up dust in the corners, and the messy, ripped magazines loitering the tables. She would have darted around to explore if his hand hadn't restrained her from doing so.

Yuki shook his head wearily, avoiding the gaze of every onlooker, and pulled her along to purchase tickets. He set down more cash than necessary on the table before the crescent opening in the glass that separated him and the train ticket vender. Yuki lifted his hand, cautious not to make any contact with the countertop. The seller didn't bother to ask where they were headed for. There was only one trip available around this time today. He glanced down at the money, stuck in the cash register, and slid out the change and two tickets for Yuki. Yuki reluctantly took the tickets –still unsure of how sanitary these tickets could possibly be- but left the money. There was no way he was taking money that had gotten inside of that cash register via some random person who had purchased a ticket before him.

"Keep it."

With those two words said, Yuki spun around, dragging Tohru with him. Tohru waved to the vender, not wanting to leave him with Yuki's cold attitude.

Yuki led her down cold stairs to a dark area, barely lit by the lights dotting the cement ceiling. He remained quiet up until he had brought her through the doors of the train and opened the door to a little room with two bench-like structures to sit upon and a table in between. He stared at the uncomfortable seats with an almost tortured expression while Tohru smiled and sat down willingly, taking the seat by the window. He tossed their bags up in the rack above them and took the seat next to her stiffly. Tohru gazed at him for a moment before wrapping herself around his right arm and resting her head against his shoulder. He sighed and used his free arm to grasp her back, the closet he could come to hugging her back.

He gazed out the window, impatiently wanting for the train to start moving already. What was taking them so long? He had specifically told Tohru to sneak out at midnight because he had timed the walk to the train station to be a few minutes short of half an hour, and the departure was supposed to be at twelve-thirty in the morning. He hated being within a couple mile radius of their homes. It would be too easy for someone from one of their palaces to find them here if he or she discovered them missing. Actually, he doubted even being halfway across the country would make it considerably more difficult to track them down.

"I should have driven… I didn't have to take my car… I could have bought a new one, then they wouldn't have been able to track that if I bought it under a fake name. Or I could have got a taxi. At least then we'd be leaving already... I'm sorry, Tohru…"

Tohru shook her head against his shoulder, "We've been waiting for a whole minute. Why are you acting so impatiently, Yuki-kun? We're in no hurry. It would have been ridiculous to buy a car-"

The door slid open and a man in a burgundy uniform appeared, holding his hand out towards them. Tohru jolted back, releasing Yuki in an embarrassed rush as if she had been caught doing something humiliating. She slid in her seat away from Yuki until she accidentally hit her head against the window. As she winced and covered the back of her head with her hands, she could have sworn the conductor laughed at her. Yuki glanced at Tohru to make sure she was alright before turning towards the train employee and giving him the tickets. After the man left, Yuki gave his full attention back to Tohru, who had, to his relief, removed her hands from her head, signaling to him that she hadn't injured herself seriously.

"Tohru, why don't you sleep? It's going to be a long ride…" Yuki suggested as he began to feel the train move.

Tohru didn't reply, pressing her face against the glass of the window, mesmerized by the lights flashing past her. She had never been on a train before, and this was a lot more interesting than sitting in a car. Yuki covered her shoulder with his hand quizzically, pulling her back from the window. Tohru let her fingers slid down the glass quietly as she faced Yuki, pointing out the glass at the bright stars in the sky whirling past them, "Isn't it pretty?"

"Not comparable to you… Now sleep before I end up having to carry you to our place."

Tohru froze at the sound of his last two words. They were going to a house, a house that would belong only to them. Yuki took this opportunity to pull her away from the window. He leaned against the corner of the seat and settled her against his chest. He surrounded her thin frame with his long legs and wrapped his arms around her abdomen. Tohru relaxed, letting him keep her there and rest his chin on her shoulder. The steady rise and fall of his chest was comforting but not enough to lull her to sleep. Besides, she didn't want to waste a minute of her time sleeping when Yuki was with her.

"I'm not sleepy…" she complained.

"Shall I tell you a story then?"

She grinned, peering up at him, unsure of how to respond to that. The last time she was told a story to get her to sleep she had been ten years old. Yuki smiled back at her, opening his mouth to begin some tale, but the sliding wooden door of the train opened with a loud thud before he said a word. Yuki and Tohru stared at the man with short, dark brown hair who had just entered. He waved excitedly at the two of them as if they had been friends forever while Yuki just simple raised his eyebrows in an annoyed manner. Tohru made an attempt to wiggle out of Yuki's embrace due to her embarrassment, but he didn't let her escape. All she managed to do was flip over and bury her face against his chest.

"Howdy there! It looks like I'm stuck with the love birds!"

"Why are you here?" Yuki demanded, irritated.

"Oh, you see, all the other seats are filled but these since I got on as the train started to leave!" he explained simply as he sat down in the bench across from Yuki and Tohru, "If you wanted privacy, you should have locked the doors."

"You can lock the door?"

"Yep! See?" he reached over and pulled down a small switch.

Yuki craned his neck back to stare at the lock in shock. His mouth slid open in wonder, but his expression quickly contorted with disappointment as he glanced back at the brunette man who would now be joining them in their ride. If only he had more experience with public transportation. Maybe then, he would have noticed the lock. Yuki peered up at their intruder with animosity. He hardly wanted to sit within hearing range of this guy. He could already tell his once quiet and peaceful trip would now be filled with pointless chitchat.

"Damn it… Could you step back outside so I can figure that out before you come in?" Yuki asked hopefully.

He laughed, "You're funny."

"I'm serious…" Yuki grumbled.

Yuki groaned, smacking the back of his head against the seat a couple of times before tightening his hold around Tohru as if he were afraid this new stranger would steal Tohru from him. She blushed, but she gave up trying to break out of the hold even though she found being held by Yuki in front of someone she didn't know downright embarrassing.

Tohru peered at the stranger though the gap between Yuki's arm and chest, listening to him introduce himself as Kakeru Manabe and prattle on about random facts. She could tell by the distant look in Yuki's eyes that he wasn't listening, but she, on the other hand, found this man to be very amusing. She found herself giggling and was embarrassed to learn that she had been heard. For the first time since Manabe set foot in the train, he was silent. He stared at her for a moment before holding his hand out to her. Tohru smiled as she poked her head out from under Yuki's arm and extended her hand out to his. He had shaken her hand already by the time Yuki shifted his attention to their locked hands. Tohru pulled her hand out immediately, but she kept her head protruded from his hold.

"What's your name?" he asked.

She glanced up at Yuki's face uneasily before answering, "Tohru…"

"Tohru, huh. That's a pretty odd name for a girl…"

Tohru flushed a light pink as she yanked her head back under Yuki's arm. Yuki ran his fingers down her back. He repeated this a couple of times before kissing her cheek, making her cheeks burn. She turned her head towards the seat, not wanting to see what kind of expression was on Manabe's face. She wasn't a person who handled public displays of affection rationally. Even something as simple as handholding made her temperature soar to unhealthy levels. To make matters more humiliating for her, Yuki's expression never seemed to change at things that made her flustered. The most she'd seen was a smile from him at the rapid color change of her skin. Nothing ever seemed to faze him although her reactions tended to amuse him.

"Sleep…" Yuki softly ordered her.

"Hey! That's rude! I was talking to her! Don't tell her to sleep!" Manabe whined.

"She was going to sleep before you started talking to her," Yuki pointed out with a shrug.

"Y-Yuki-kun, I don't want to… I don't need more sleep…" she whispered into his ear.

His hands caught her face between them, examining it and unintentionally making her blush. He released her after a second and pressed her head back down onto his chest, going back to stroking her back as he ignored further unintelligible words sprawling out of Manabe's mouth. Tohru wiggled around for a moment to break his hold and lift herself off of him. She cocked her head to the side, showing him her confusion. He smiled at her, running his thumbs under her eyes as a tacit explanation.

"Your face tells me otherwise. You have purple rings under your eyes," he told her.

Giving up on arguing and not wanting him to see bruise like marks on her face, she dropped her face, letting the side of her head lie against his chest again. She shut her eyes, listening to the faint purr of the train and his steady heartbeat. She didn't plan on falling asleep, she wanted to stay up with Yuki, but her eyes started to droop. Tohru couldn't hold back sleep any longer, despite how uncomfortable she was with the thought of a stranger watching her sleep. The next thing she knew Yuki was shaking her awake. Tohru opened her eyes, looking around with a bewildered look. Sunlight streamed through the large window in front of her eyes.

"Good morning, love. Sorry to wake you…" Yuki greeted her with a warm smile.

"Yuki-kun?" she rasped in a flustered, tired voice.

She peered at him through bemused eyes for a moment before she remembered what happened last night. Tohru sat up, still locked on his lap by his arms. Rubbing her eyes, she peeked up at him, wondering if he had slept at all. He looked energized enough to fool her if he hadn't. Tohru avoided looking towards the window, not wanting to risk the chance of catching her reflection in the glass and seeing what her hair looked like at the moment. By the way it felt as her fingers streamed through the tangled brown locks, she was sure she appeared to have just walked past a tornado. He laughed after she made an attempt to brush the knots out of her hair, and she didn't dare ask what he found so comical.

"Our stop is here," Yuki informed her.

He stood up, hoisting her up in his arms easily. She flushed, frantically looking around for Manabe, but he was nowhere in sight. She let out a breath of relief before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yuki, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Hold on," he replied seriously.

She glanced around, noting for the first time that he already had their luggage slung across his shoulder. Somehow, he opened the door while she wasn't looking and he was now weaving his way through the thick crowds of people trying to leave the train. Tohru gripped Yuki's neck tightly, still in a state of shock. She squirmed in his arms embarrassedly, avoiding all the eyes focused on them from the nearby passengers. He knew just how to draw everyone's attention to her. First, he had to carry her as if she were some child, but he was also parading her around with her hideous hair that she was positive was sticking up in various spots.

"Yuki! People are staring! Put me down!" she hissed into his ear.

"They're staring at how beautiful you are. If I set you down they'll just snatch you away," Yuki murmured back.

Tohru blushed, hiding her face in the crook of his arm. She buried her head deeper, trying to drone out the murmurs of the people around her. Yuki laughed gently, setting her back onto her feet after a few minutes, but by now, they were no longer on the train. Her shoes made contact with the cement paving of the train stop. She tensed at the darkness, taking a step closer to Yuki. He draped his arm around her small shoulders, making Tohru smile instantly. She leaned against him for unneeded support as he led her up some stairs and back under sunlight. She was delighted as she saw all the bustling people around her and the wide windows of shops displaying numerous items. She explored the city with her eyes as Yuki held up the map to his face, trying to decipher the directions to said house of theirs, but it didn't look like he was having much luck as they continued down the sidewalk.

"I think it should be around here somewhere…" Yuki muttered as the cityscape gave way to a smaller and much quieter town.

Tohru nodded, her face shining brightly. She inhaled a breath of fresh air hungrily. Neither of them had felt so free in their entire lives. There wasn't a single chain holding them down. Her whole body felt entirely weightless, like a feather being swept away in the wind. They continued walking for some time before a vibration in Yuki's pocket made Tohru jump. He chuckled at her reaction as he pulled out his cell phone, surprised to have a message from Ayame. He didn't remember ever giving Ayame his phone number. Actually, he recalled changing it a few times in the past because his brother had somehow gotten access to it. Yuki sighed as he read the note.

_So sorry dearest brother. _

_It would seem that I have forgotten_

_to inform you that you are in search_

_of an apartment complex. _

_Don't worry. I have a room reserved for you._

_It's under the names of Prince Charming_

_and Princess Cinderella. _

Yuki gawked at the ridiculous names for sixty seconds before Tohru leaned across his arms to read the message for herself. She stared at it for a moment before she turned her head around and pointed to a large building that they had just passed.

"Is that it?" she asked.

"We'll see…" Yuki mumbled as he tugged her back to the building.

The two of them stepped through the tall wooden doors and onto the linoleum tiles. The orange and white flooring was covered with a large brown rug thrown before the dull gold counter top towards the back of the room. The walls were a dark brown with a bright gold trim, partially matching the floor and counter. The decorations, however, did not correlate with anything. There were random pictures dotting the walls, some paintings of flowers, others photographs of people, and the rest advertisements. Randomly placed about the room were small end tables with dying flowers on top. The faded orange cushioned chairs bordering the place were crooked and run down. A lot of them had holes all over.

Yuki cautiously eyed the blonde woman who was yelling at someone on the phone behind the counter. He seemed to regret even stepping inside, pressing Tohru closer against his body. He didn't like the looks of this place, but Tohru seemed at ease, as usual. Yuki stepped towards the front desk, scarcely missing a cockroach that had darted across the floor. The little bug made Tohru practically jump into his arms. He smiled slightly, continuing to tow her to their destination. The woman hung up upon seeing them, forcing an unnatural smile onto her face.

"Welcome! May I help you?"

Her words were friendly enough, but her tone was harsh. Her hair had been dyed blond, Yuki noted. He glanced at her crooked black name tag which announced her name was Arisa Uotani, but it looked like she had crossed that out with a permanent marker. She had written 'Uo' on the blank gold rim of the nametag. She flicked her long blond bangs from her face and stared at them, waiting for them to respond. Her expression no longer seemed relatively happy.

"By any chance, would a room be reserved under the name… Prince Charming and Cinderella?" Yuki questioned under his breath.

She stared unbelieving at him for a full minute, assuming he was playing a practical joke on her, but Yuki patiently waited for her to check. She scoffed at him but checked her book anyways. To her surprise, she actually found a room listed under the fairytale couple. It was the biggest room in the rundown hotel too. It even included furniture. She glanced back up at Yuki and Tohru suspiciously and took another peek at the names printed neatly on a sheet of paper, making sure she hadn't read it incorrectly, but the names hadn't changed. The room was still listed under the prince and princess. Who in the world had let someone register under those names?

"These aren't your real names, right?" she guessed.

"Thank god no. My stupid brother made reservations and whatnot," Yuki responded.

She shut the binder with pursed lips, "I can't rent a room to people who can't give me their real names."

Tohru's mouth dropped in horror. She quickly scurried up to the desk, unable to even think about having to return home after running away from there.

"Please let us rent it? We'll do anything," Tohru begged quickly.

Tohru didn't think much of her offer. She wouldn't mind doing anything to be able to stay here. There wasn't much in the world that mattered more to her than being able to be with Yuki, and this place seemed perfect to her. She found the apartment building cozy looking although most considered it more rundown and shabby. Regardless, she was sure Ayame had worked hard to find this place, and she didn't want to let his work go to waste. The blonde known as Uo stared at Tohru, trying to come to a decision, her mind wavering back and forth.

"Arisa, just let them have it. Kureno won't mind as long as we get paid."

A slender woman with long, dark, wavy hair stepped out from a small room with a sinister expression, making Tohru leap backwards into Yuki's arms. He dropped the suitcases he was holding to catch her. As soon as Tohru realized she had just jumped at the sight of a person, she immediately assumed she had offended her which made her begin apologizing while she climbed down from Yuki's hold, but the woman dressed in black waved off her apologies carelessly. Both girls laughed at her good-naturedly before the blond one nodded, giving in and agreeing.

"Oh all right… But you have to work here for it!"

"Yay!" Tohru exclaimed excitedly, "We get to stay here, Yuki-kun!"

Yuki smiled at her. She skipped over to him with a grin, taking his hands in hers and swinging them around as if she were conducting music. He laughed, lacing his fingers through hers. He pulled her closer, picking her up to keep her from tripping over the luggage he had left by his feet as he drew her into his arms. Momentarily, she forgot they were standing in the middle of the hotel foyer, where several people passing by froze to stare at them, and hugged him tightly. Chuckling, he put down the red-faced girl on the floor beside him when Uo cleared her throat.

"So you're name is Yuki… What's yours?" Uo inquired.

"Ah… Um… Tohru…" Tohru confessed quietly.

"My name is Arisa Uotani, and this is Saki Hanajima, but you can call us Uo and Hana," she told them with a hand directed towards the other woman dressed in all black.

Uo smiled at Tohru's worried expression, "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul your names so long as you help out around here a bit."

"Okay!" Tohru agreed without thinking through the deal.

Hana fished out a silver key from a small rack behind the counter and held it out to her, the confirmation of their arrangement. Tohru rushed forward to claim it before skipping back to Yuki, exuberant. She waved the key around in front of her with her hands excitedly. They were going to stay in this apartment after all. She couldn't wait to see what the inside of their room looked like. Yuki, unlike Tohru, was more fearful and worried than happy. He had partially hoped they'd have to find another place, but seeing Tohru this jubilant over the prospect of staying here, he reconsidered his wishes. He decided he didn't really care where they stayed as long as Tohru was with him.

"Your room is on the first floor, towards the back, next to the back exit," Uo instructed.

"Thank you!" Tohru chirped with a bow to them.

"Uh-huh. Just remember you work here as of now. Come out here around nine or so… You guys lucked out… Whoever reserved the room requested new furniture, but of course… You have to pay for that too."

Yuki tossed an unidentifiable amount of money onto the counter, "Would that cover it?"

Uo examined the first few bills with wide eyes before nodding, clearly bewildered by the amount thrust before her. She had never seen such a large amount of money at one time. Hana was equally surprised, yet neither Yuki nor Tohru saw any signs of her stupor. Either way, being from wealthy royal families, they didn't understand the reasoning behind Uo's blatant shock and Hana's subtle awe at the money. They left the two women staring at the riches on the counter. Yuki picked up their two suitcases and led Tohru down the dim hallway to room number 191 which lay at the end of the corridor. He paused outside of the door, taking the key from Tohru.

"Are you sure about this? I mean work? We could just buy some other place for ourselves," Yuki reminded her.

"No, I like this place," Tohru reassured him.

He shrugged, "Suit yourself."

Slowly, he unlocked and opened the door, partially dreading what it was hiding on the other side. He could only expect so much if the lobby of this apartment building looked like it hadn't been dusted in months. Tohru seemed more than eager though and immediately shoved in the door.

He wasn't sure how to react to the sight before him. It was a million times better than the entrance had been, but it was hardly as luxurious as he was used to. Seeing how pleased Tohru was by the simplicity of the room, he decided he liked it as well. He watched her run around the room excitedly, examining each piece of dark brown furniture. She weaved across the living room, past the two person, black couch before a twenty inch television, through the doorframe to the connected kitchen. He dropped their luggage on the floor before he followed her, staring at the kitchen appliances he didn't recognize. He could count on one hand the number of times he had walked into the kitchen back at his home.

"Please tell me you can cook…" Yuki whispered, being a tad too familiar with his own culinary expertise.

"Umm… I can cook a few things… Why?" she replied.

"Because I can't," he smiled at her.

She giggled, glad to find there was something he couldn't do after all. He could do just about anything else flawlessly. Tohru didn't stay to examine the kitchen for very long before skipping off to see the other rooms. She found a tiny bathroom about a fourth of the size of her bathroom back at her castle. It simply had a plain white toilet, sink, and a bathtub and shower combination. She shut the door, not bothering to explore such a tiny crevice before bounding for the last unopened door of the apartment. Swinging the wooden door open, Tohru froze at what she saw within. She didn't move from her position at the entrance with her hand glued to the doorknob until Yuki approached her.

"What's wrong, Tohru?" he inquired worriedly.

He peered over her head into the bedroom. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with what he saw. No insects were crawling across the carpet or on the walls. There was just a harmless looking king-sized bed with a navy comforter over it between two matching nightstands with similar lamps on top. There was a closet in the far end of the room and another television a few feet from the end of the bed as well, but those were hardly of the kind of quality that caused people to freeze and stare. It took him a minute to figure out why she was staring, and then it hit him. There was one bed and two of them.

He glanced at her pink face before saying, "Don't worry about it… You can have the bed. I'll sleep on the couch or whatever…"

She tilted her head upwards to look at him, "I-I can't make you d-do that…"

"You won't be making me do anything," he insisted.

Tohru shook her head but didn't try to argue with him. Her feelings towards his idea were made clear by the small frown across her face, and her thoughts over sharing a bed with him were made apparent by the red tint to her face. She wasn't ready for that, but he didn't mind. He smiled, taking her hand in his and taking her away from the bedroom. There was no point in making her upset over such a trivial thing as where they would sleep. He'd convince her of his plan later when it was time for them to sleep, when there was no possibility of avoiding the conversation.

"Let's go unpack."

Her face brightened at that, and she willingly followed him back to the living room where their luggage was left. The journey there took shorter than they were accustomed to. The whole apartment was hardly bigger than one of their old bedrooms. Tohru had just plopped herself down in front of her suitcase when the door opened, nearly knocking her over. Yuki was at her side before she even noticed who had opened the door, and she had been checked for any sort of injury by the time she spotted Uo and Hana stepping inside.

"Tohru, come shopping with us," Uo told her with a grin.

"Eh? S-Shopping? B-But I haven't unpacked anything yet!" Tohru squeaked.

"Tell your husband to do that for you. You can come out with Hana and me!" Uo urged.

"Husband?" Yuki and Tohru repeated, both equally shocked.

Tohru went rigid at Uo's reference to Yuki. She could barely acknowledge his state as her boyfriend. It was beyond embarrassing to hear the mistake out loud. She grimaced slightly and peered over at Yuki to see his reaction. To her surprise, he was smiling, almost laughing. That baffled her. She didn't find anything humorous about the error. Marriage was serious business, not something to kid about. She'd be lying if she said she didn't wish what Uo had said was true, but she wasn't sure that was what Yuki desired. Yesterday, he had told her the only person he wanted to marry was her, but she hadn't thought much of it. She had brushed it aside as another one of those comments he often told her to soothe her fears.

"Husband… Boyfriend... What's the difference?" Uo muttered with a flick of her wrist.

She yanked Tohru off the floor quickly and was already leading her down the hallway before anyone could protest. Tohru stumbled behind Uo and Hana, finally tripping over a lump in the carpeting. Despite being yanked along by Uo, she was the only one who fell and hit her face. She sat up quickly, humiliated to have fallen. Uo got her back on her feet in a second, but that didn't wash away the pain of her bright red nose.

"Is your nose broken?"

"Um… No…" Tohru replied.

"Good. Now let's go before someone catches us, and I have to go back to work," Uo laughed as she dragged Tohru out the door.

Tohru's head was spinning by the time they arrived at the little city she and Yuki had been in just a couple of hours ago. Afraid to get lost, she dizzily followed the girls into a nearby clothing store. Too tired to be excited at the new experience, she collapsed down on a chair as Uo and Hana browsed through a metal rack close by. She had never been in a store that sold clothes before. Her tailor back at home had made all her clothes for her, and whatever else she needed was ordered and sent to her through the postal service. Of course, Tohru had passed several shops of this kind on her incursions to town with Yuki, but she had always been too preoccupied to bother to enter.

The soft ringing of her cell phone startled her. She hadn't known she had it with her. Flipping it open, she found a message from Yuki.

_Are you okay? Should I come rescue you?_

She grinned as she typed back a message, telling him that was unnecessary. His response was a warning to take care. She wasn't sure what he was more worried about, whether she'd hurt herself, get kidnapped by some strange man, or that she might just blow their covers on their first day here. He didn't specify, and she didn't get a chance to ask for clarification. Tohru found Uo and Hana eyeing the device in her hand when she was done.

"That looks pretty high-tech. Lemme see…" Uo reached forward and took the pink electronic from her before Tohru nodded.

She flipped through the phone for a few minutes before smiling.

"Cute," she stated, turning the screen back to Tohru to show her a picture of her and Yuki Tohru had to beg him to allow her to take. Tohru reached forward, taking the phone back from Uo immediately. Nobody was supposed to see that picture. She had promised Yuki that after he had agreed to let her take it, but that was back when everyone knew who they were. She assumed it would be okay to show Uo and Hana… They already knew Yuki was her boyfriend. A picture wouldn't hurt, right? The photo wasn't very explicit anyways, just a simple crooked shot of Yuki pressing his lips against her pink cheeks.

"What? Are there dirty pictures on there or what?" Uo teased.

Tohru shook her head, denying that statement vehemently. She slipped her phone back into the small pocket of her knee length, white skirt. At the moment, her cheeks were as dark as the red dress Uo was holding out to her. Tohru stared at the dress in front of her face in a baffled manner. Cocking her head to the side, she moved her gaze to Uo, displaying her loss at what to do. Unfortunately, this shopping stuff wasn't beginning to make more sense as she had anticipated it would.

"I was just kidding… How would you like this?" Uo asked.

"F-For me? N-No… I-I forgot money…" Tohru stammered embarrassedly.

"Don't worry. Your boyfriend gave us more than enough money earlier. That's why we decided to go shopping," Uo winked.

Uo put the dress back on the rack, deciding the color didn't suit Tohru's personality, and walked across the store, vanishing out of Tohru's eyesight as she skimmed through other sections. Tohru remained where she was, swinging her legs back and forth on the seat childishly while Hana dug through various black garments. Uo returned after a short minute and held out a different dress to Tohru. This one was much shorter than the red dress had been. Tohru honestly didn't think it'd even reach her knees, and the material was diaphanous. She could see Uo through the dress which made her blush. Uo dropped it onto Tohru's lap, "Why don't you get him a present?"

"Yuki-kun wouldn't wear this…" Tohru mumbled, handing the dress back to Uo.

Uo stared at the brunette in disbelief, "It's not for him to wear, silly."

"Then why would it be a gift for Yuki-kun?" Tohru asked obliviously.

Hana took the hanger from Tohru, placing the garment back in the rack Uo and gotten it from, "Not for them…"

Tohru didn't say anything else, somehow figuring out she didn't want to know why attire of that sort could be a gift for a guy. She did want to get him a present though, but she didn't think that dress would be something he'd enjoy. He deserved a reward of some sort, but she doubted this women's apparel store would have anything for Yuki. Finding something for herself was another story. Practically everything in the store caught her interest with its brightly colored skirts and frilly, spring dresses. Spotting a box filled with ribbons and other hair accessories, she hopped off her seat and wandered over to the counter where it laid. Uo watched her pick up a long white ribbon, giving her a strange expression.

"Tohru, you haven't done it with your boyfriend yet?" Uo questioned, honestly surprised.

"Arisa, that would be their personal life. You're intruding in it," Hana warned Uo.

"Do what?" Tohru asked back innocently.

"That would be a denial…." Hana translated for the astonished blonde.

Uo stared at Tohru, extremely bemused. She shook her head with a nearly exasperated expression and went back to flipping through the clothing hanging on the brackets. Periodically, she glanced up at Tohru, checking to see if her face held any hints of a lie, but Tohru seemed as innocent as ever as she held a ribbon against her dark brown hair, examining herself in a nearby mirror. She smiled and mumbled something to herself that Uo didn't catch, but she was positive she had heard Yuki's name drift out of Tohru's mouth. Tohru dropped the hair accessory back, not finding the contrast against her hair to her liking.

Hana walked over to Tohru with a pink dress in her hands, holding it out towards her, "This suits you, doesn't it?"

"I-I don't need a dress, really!" Tohru responded, waving her hands in front of her as a refusal.

"Try it on!" Uo ordered, shoving the dress at Tohru before ushering her into a changing room. Tohru obliged, quickly stripping and slipping into the silky pink dress. It had a white ribbon across the middle, and there was a simple white floral print trimming the short sleeves, neckline, and bottom of the dress. With a smile, she stepped out of the tiny stall to show her two, new friends. They didn't have to look long before they were convinced to buy it for her. Uo twirled her around a couple of times before something glimmering from the fluorescent light from above caught her eye. Uo's hand shot out and grabbed Tohru's wrist, bringing the gold bracelet close to her face.

"Are those real diamonds?" Uo exclaimed with wide eyes.

Tohru blinked, too shocked to respond. Nobody had ever questioned her about her jewelry before. She nodded simply before she realized everyone who was in the store was now staring at her and her present from Yuki. Catching her reflection in one of the numerous shiny surfaces of the store, she noticed how dark her cheeks had grown. She had never been a person who enjoyed being the center of attention and subconsciously slid her hand out of Uo's, covering the bracelet with her hand. To her dismay, this didn't keep the onlookers from gawking at her.

Hana gestured to Tohru's necklace without changing her expression, "She has one around her neck too."

Tohru looked down embarrassedly, not liking all the eyes that were focused upon her. She was supposed to be blending in with everyone else, not sticking out. Bouncing on one foot to another, she shut her eyes and counted to ten, hoping the rubbernecks had lost interest, but they hadn't when she looked up again. Her little dance seemed to have attracted more spectators. Tohru wrinkled her nose with discomfort, stepping closer to Uo and Hana in attempt to hide herself a bit, but everyone just craned her neck a bit and could see Tohru perfectly fine.

"Was it from Yuki?" Uo inquired, gesturing to the bracelet.

Tohru nodded shyly.

"It's quite lovely, Tohru-kun. Nothing to be ashamed of," Hana comforted her.

"Quite lovely? I'd kill for someone to give me this!" Uo cried, making Tohru blush some more.

Tohru faced the floor timidly as Uo patted her head.

"He must love you a lot…" she told Tohru.

Tohru could only flash her a smile. She couldn't wait to return home to Yuki. She'd finally be able to do something for him, cook, which reminded her she needed to pick up some groceries, or she'd have nothing to cook with. She made a mental note to herself not to forget as she was thrust with another dress from Uo. They repeated this process a few more times, so by the time they were ready to leave, Tohru had several dresses stuffed into her arms. She had more than Uo and Hana did combined, and she felt guilty about that, but Uo wouldn't let her put a single one back nor would they listen to her offers to pay them back. Neither of the women would even let Tohru see the receipt to see how much had been spent on her.

Carrying her two shopping bags of clothing, she was led to the nearest grocery store, where she filled another two bags with food necessities, cooking utensils, silverware, and dishes to fill the empty refrigerator and cabinets at her new home. By the time they started wandering back to the apartment complex, the sun was setting and all of their arms were filled with heavy bags.

"So Tohru, where did you come from?" Uo asked curiously.

"Oh… Yuki-kun and I came from a town quite a distance away," Tohru answered carefully.

"By yourselves? How old are you?"

"Yep. I'm seventeen… and Yuki-kun turned eighteen a couple of months ago," Tohru replied.

"That's about how old Hana and me are. We'll be good friends. I'm sure about that… That is if your boyfriend ever forgives me for kidnapping you," Uo snickered at her own joke before continuing, "Sorry I had to pull you along like that. I just didn't want to be forced into only gothic stores today…"

Tohru strained to catch the last few words Uo had said. She was dragging behind the two of them, stumbling along the sidewalk with difficulty. Tohru barely dodged tripping over a broken bottle on the ground. She wasn't used to carrying this many things at once. Yuki had always insisted upon carrying her things for her whenever they were out, and any other time she found herself holding anything, regardless of how light or heavy, a servant would come along and assist her. Still, Tohru didn't bother to utter a complaint or ask for help since Uo and Hana were carrying the larger bags, but unlike the short brunette, they seemed to be used to this.

"Oh… Um… I'm sure Yuki-kun was fine by himself. Besides, you two bought me a lot of things," Tohru reassured them with a genuine smile as she shuffled forward to catch up with them.

"If you say so… But tell that to him if he tries to kill me," Uo winked at her.

"Yuki-kun w-wouldn't do that! H-He's a very k-kind person!" Tohru exclaimed, defending Yuki but missing the joke.

Uo grinned but made no attempt to correct Tohru's thinking. She didn't honestly believe Yuki would kill her, but she hardly thought the guy would welcome her inside and serve her tea after she had taken his girlfriend out for the day without really telling him. These thoughts kept her anxious during the walk home. It didn't take them more than ten minutes to arrive back at the apartment, and just another mere sixty seconds to get to the door towards the back that would open to Tohru and Yuki's place. The three women stopped at the entrance and Tohru thanked them both, hugging them before she entered her new home.

She discarded her bags on the floor by the door before scanning the place for Yuki. She had expected him to greet her immediately, but only silence rung in her ears. Tohru called his name a few times before finding him on the couch, fast asleep. She grinned, darting over to him excitedly. Hopping onto him, she wondered why she hadn't noticed his sleeping figure before. After all, the front door did bring her to the living room. His body lurched upwards when she landed, and she began to fret over injuring him, but seeing as he slept through her pounce, she doubted he had been harmed.

"Yuki-kun!" she sang, sitting up on his stomach.

Tohru had to call his name a few more times before his eyes finally opened. It actually shocked her to see that her leap onto him hadn't disrupted his slumber, but he was a deep sleeper after all. He stared at her for a few seconds before his arms shot out and yanked her down into an embrace. Yuki smiled at her yelp as he kissed her cheek. She said something to him, but he couldn't understand her with her face against his shirt, her voice muffled by the fabric, so he released her, letting her go back to sitting on his chest.

"I've missed you… You've been gone for hours…." he mumbled, glancing at his watch.

She flushed, "You've gone days without seeing me before."

"Not recently…" he muttered.

"I'm sorry…"

"Never mind… Did you have fun being kidnapped?"

"Yes… Uo-chan and Hana-chan bought me many new dresses! But they also saw my bracelet… and they said you must love me a lot…" she added meekly, hoping he wouldn't get mad at her for accidentally revealing the bracelet. She was well aware that the average girl didn't walk around town flaunting diamond jewelry. Commoners didn't usually even own anything embedded with diamonds other than a wedding ring. Neither Uo nor Hana even wore a piece of jewelry, but they just seemed to assume Yuki was wealthy, ridiculously so. She was ready to reassure him that Uo and Hana didn't appear to have connected the adornments to the possibility of royalty, but luckily, he didn't seemed bothered by her news. He seemed more entertained.

"Is that so? But I bet you like being my hostage more…" he mused, teasing her.

"You couldn't have me as your captive!" she exclaimed.

"Oh really? And why is that?"

"Because it would never be against my will," she admitted bluntly.

Yuki laughed, "That's nice to know."

Reaching for her face, the back of his hand brushed against her cheek before locking a few stray strands back into place. Tohru beamed at him, covering his hand with hers, keeping it in place over her cheek. He pushed himself up until he was sitting cross-legged, making her slide down from her spot on his chest to his lap. She didn't manage to keep his hand on her cheek due to all the movement, but she settled for wrapping her arms around his thin waist and snuggling against his chest. It was as comfortable as the previous stance, if not more so.

"So what else did you do?" he asked curiously.

"I bought groceries- I haven't cooked you anything yet! Y-You must be starving!" she squealed, suddenly realizing the last time they had eaten was this morning.

"I can wait-"

"Go back to sleep! I want it to be a surprise!" she cried before kissing his cheek and pushing him back down on the couch.

She scrambled off to pick up her groceries and start preparing one of the few food dishes she had made before. Yuki sat up, shooting her a bewildered expression. He watched her pour the contents out of one of the paper bags onto the countertop table. She gathered half of the things sprawled across the counter and ran to the refrigerator to toss them in. Half of the round vegetables and fruit had rolled off the countertop and landed on the floor, where Tohru was currently scurrying around to pick up the now slightly bruised plants. She stood up with a frown across her face, still carrying the produce in her arms.

"Do you need any help?" Yuki offered.

Startled by his voice, Tohru jolted up and dropped the products back onto the counter where they almost rolled off again.

She shook her head fervently, "No, no, no… Just go back to sleep!"

"Are you sure?"

Her head bobbed up and down in affirmation as she tore open packages of new kitchen utensils. He observed her as she located a vegetable peeler and began to skin the crops before her. Vegetable peels flew across the kitchen in a dangerously fast pace. Yuki, afraid he'd see one of her fingers joining the colorful pile of scraps, was tempted to run over there and tear the plastic tool from her fingers. He gripped the top of the couch tensely. Knowing perfectly well how badly she wanted him to surprise him, he stayed put, but he couldn't help but express his concern through words.

"Tohru, be careful before you lop off one of your fingers!" Yuki warned her worriedly.

She threw him a shocked look before she dropped the peeler and waved her arms around frantically. Her whole face was contorted with frustration as she tried to convince him to lie back down by flapping her hands up and down. If she could glare and be angry, he was positive her frustration would have been expressed through anger rather than sadness, but it was the tears about to trickle down her face that made him feel obligated to listen to her requests. How could he possibly deny her something if it was going to keep a frown across her face?

"You're supposed to be s-sleeping! Close your eyes, Yuki-kun!" Tohru wailed.

"I can't do that when you're rushing around with sharp objects."

"P-Please?" she pled.

"Only if you promise to relax and to take your time so I don't find you with nine fingers instead of ten later," he bargained.

"I promise! Now lie down, please!" she begged.

He reluctantly dropped back down onto the sofa, but he didn't shut his eyes, doubting her ability to uphold her end of the bargain. He prayed that she had bought a first aid kit along with those potentially dangerous objects. Knowing her, her hands would be covered with bandages within a few minutes if not worse. To his surprise and relief, he heard the splash of food bits being dropped into boiling water without any yelps of pain. This could only mean she hadn't cut her skin while peeling and chopping the vegetables nor had she burnt herself while cooking them. Yuki could only take so much more of this anxiety. He hoped she was almost done.

Tohru let the soup she was making simmer as she wandered over to set the table with her newly acquired dishes. A small scream left her mouth as she heard her precious soup start to boil over. Yuki sat up instantly, assuming the worst had happened, but fortunately, all he saw was Tohru run over to the stove and turn the fire off. He laid back down before Tohru noticed he wasn't sleeping. He was more than relieved when Tohru _woke him up_ a few minutes later, leading him excitedly to the table where two bowls were filled with a delicious smelling soup, separated by a barricade of white candles.

He smiled at her, "It looks delicious. Are you sure you weren't secretly a chef before?"

She blushed, "You haven't tried it yet…"

Yuki shook his head at her as he sat down, picking up the spoon beside his steaming bowl and taking a scoop despite how hot it was. She watched him, lacing her hands together in front of her chest as if she were praying that he'd like it. He politely chewed the vegetable pieces and fish and swallowed before he spoke.

"It's delectable."

Her cheeks darkened as she sat down across from him, watching him devour the soup for a minute before she had some herself. It wasn't until now that she realized how hungry she was. Shopping and cooking had drained bundles of her energy. When they finished, they both helped each other clean up with her washing the dishes and him drying them like a real husband and wife would. Tohru blushed at the thought of being married to him, but it made her happy nonetheless. To her relief, Yuki didn't question her for the reason of her embarrassment. Instead, he simply smiled.

"What do we do now?" Tohru asked curiously as Yuki dried the last bowl and placed it into a now partially filled cabinet.

"Hmm… You know… I never had so much free time in my life," Yuki commented.

"I don't know what to do either," Tohru mumbled.

"Hey, I never said I didn't know what to do," Yuki smirked at her.

Tohru raised her eyebrows at him innocently, wordlessly asking him to go on, but he just looked back at her mischievously. She took a step back when he started walking over to her calmly. She wasn't sure how, but he had somehow managed to herd her into the bedroom without her knowing because the next thing she knew the backs of her legs hit the edge of the bed, and she had fallen onto the soft mattress. His lips were soon pressed against the side of her neck, making her heart beat uncontrollably. Her hands were pinned above her head under his larger ones.

"Y-Yuki-kun!" Tohru squeaked in a weak voice.

He smiled, but she couldn't see. He moved away from her neck, his mouth now hovering by her ear as he whispered to her, "We've got a lot to do tomorrow so go to sleep."

"Eh?" she sputtered in a shocked voice.

Yuki pushed himself up, patting her on the head until he could no longer hide the large grin forming across his face. He dropped down on the spot next to her, cracking up at her red, baffled face. She sat up beside him for a short moment before it occurred to her that he had been teasing her the whole time. Suddenly, she understood everything Uo had been hinting at earlier in the store. Her face turned the darkest red he had ever seen, fueling his laughter.

"Yuki!" she shrieked embarrassedly.

"I was kidding… What did you think I was going to do?" he chuckled.

She gently gave him a shove, burying her face in his shirt. He continued to laugh, patting her back a couple of times in attempt to get her to lift her face. When she didn't start giggling with him as he had expected her to, he sat up, his laughs fading away. She didn't seem very pleased, making him regret even thinking about the joke. Yuki shook her shoulders, trying to get her to say something, but he failed. Tohru's hands enclosed the hem of his shirt in tight fists, and she dug her face down deeper.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry… Forgive me?" he murmured into her ear.

Tohru flipped over, smiling at him. She placed her hand on his cheek, seeming to think over his words as if the decision whether to forgive him or not was difficult for her. She caved in and nodded after he yanked her up onto his lap, embracing her tightly. He turned her face towards his and brushed his lips against hers. Tohru beamed, moving around until she was kneeling and intertwined her hands around his neck. Yuki wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her against him carefully as he leaned backwards, falling back onto the bed as he caressed her mouth with quick kisses. Her scream was muffled by his mouth when she fell on top of him. He flipped over so he was on top, gave her one last quick kiss before he tugged the blanket out from under them and tossed it over her thin body.

"Good night," he told her as he hopped off the bed.

She gazed at Yuki as he took a few steps away from her after turning off a lamp she hadn't seen him even turn on. His hand was on the door before she realized he wasn't intending to come back and climb into bed with her. He wanted her to stay in this foreign, dark room all by herself. She didn't like that idea. Already, the small room seemed foreboding. The walls seemed to cave in, crawling closer towards her and leaving her slightly claustrophobic. Suddenly, the once soft comforter and comfy bed didn't seem very inviting anymore. Tohru bit her lip, not wanting to stay here without the security of his arms.

"Where are you going?" Tohru asked, confused.

"The couch. There's only one bed and two people, silly," he answered.

"I'll sleep on the couch then!"

She jumped down and quickly scurried after him, locking her arms around his, stopping him in his tracks. Yuki turned around and gingerly slid his arm out of her trap and scooped her back into his arms. He carried her back over to the bed and set her back down gently. Kneeling on the floor before her, his fingers raked through her dark hair for a moment. He kissed her forehead and sighed, seeming to want to prolong the silence before he responded to her proposition.

"No, no you won't. How could I let my princess rest on a couch?"

Tohru glanced up at him with her mouth dropped open, trying to think of a valid reason for him. It wasn't fair for him to have to sleep on some couch when she got a bed that was clearly big enough for two people. Yuki, on the other hand, wasn't up for reasoning. He drew her into his arms for a quick embrace and gave her a sweet peck on the top of her head before he tucked her back into the cocoon of a blanket. Tohru wasn't about to let him escape without giving him something in return for being able to stay in the bed tonight though.

"Then tomorrow you get the bed?" Tohru suggested determinedly.

"No. Tohru, you're a princess and should be treated with great care," Yuki refused.

"Then sleep on the bed with me," she offered, a blush creeping across her face.

"I can't do that," he sighed.

"And why not?"

"Because if I did, I'm not sure I can keep my hands off of you long enough to fall asleep. I'm sure that would bother you," he replied thoughtfully.

A blush was fully blooming on her cheeks now, but what he said was true. Even now, he still held her hand in his securely. She dropped her gaze down to their interlocked hands, embarrassedly fiddling with his fingers and hers, rearranging them as she struggled to come up with something to respond with. Despite his claims, she was sure she'd sleep even less if he left her here alone. She didn't quite grasp how he thought he could possibly be a nuisance to her. Anyways, Tohru would rather spend time with him and be exhausted tomorrow rather than be well rested and alone.

"I don't mind," she insisted.

"You aren't going to let this drop, are you?"

She shook her head, making him groan softly. Yuki rolled his eyes as he climbed into bed with her, keeping about a foot distance between the two of them. He laid himself down flat on his back, staring at the ceiling and keeping his eyes off of her. Nevertheless, this made Tohru smile. For once, she had won a disagreement between them. Tohru squeezed his hand cheerfully, glad to see that he wouldn't be sleeping on the couch. He had already done so once, and she didn't think he looked very comfortable. How much sleep could he get with his legs dangling over the armrest and the edge of the couch centimeters from where he laid?

"Yay…" she murmured to herself.

He glanced at her before smiling, "You know… Uotani-san was wrong… I don't love you a lot… I love you so much more than that…" he murmured to her, rubbing her hand.

"How much is that?" Tohru asked.

"I don't know what to tell you… I don't think there's anything comparable to the depth of my love for you. Nope, I doubt there is… The oceans are too shallow, the mountains too short, and the universe hardly massive enough...."

Her red cheeks were the only response she gave him before a yawn escaped her mouth. She covered her mouth quickly, trying to keep him from noticing, but his soft grey eyes had flickered towards her as soon as her mouth had opened. He missed nothing. Tohru lowered her fingers with a frown, knowing he'd take her yawn as a sign that it was time to sleep even though she wanted to continue their chat. This argument, however, she knew she wouldn't be able to win, which made her decide to let him send her off to her dreams willingly.

"Sweet dreams…"

Those were the last two words she recalled after she shut her eyes. She was more tired than she was aware of and had fallen into a deep slumber instantly, dreaming of a certain someone.


	30. Whenever, Wherever, Forever

The sound of morning birds chirping awoke Tohru early in the morning. She stretched her arms before she opened her eyes and peered across at Yuki's peaceful looking face. Lazily, she watched the rise and fall of his chest for a moment before sitting up. He remained in a deep sleep, still the same distance away from her as he had been when she fell asleep. He hadn't inched a bit closer to her. That bothered her for some reason she couldn't figure out. It was like he was avoiding her. She tried her best to disregard it, but it was hard not to worry about it. Rubbing her eyes, she checked to see whether she had disturbed his slumber before sliding off the bed and tiptoeing out of the room.

Waiting for Yuki to awake, Tohru brushed her teeth and started to fix up some breakfast quietly. Knowing Yuki, it'd take quite a while for him to get up. Actually, it'd take a while for anyone to wake up. It was only five in the morning. To say Tohru was a morning person would be a bit of an understatement. She needed something to occupy her time until it was a reasonable hour to call up her prince, and cooking was the only chore she had a good grasp on. Growing up as a royal child limited her work experience. The only reason she even knew how to cook was from sneaking into the kitchen as a child and watching the chefs make her meals. Since then, she had always enjoyed preparing food, but she never had many opportunities to do so, which made living here twice as fun.

A couple of hours later, Yuki stirred in bed, awakening from the wonderful scent wafting over to him. Scarcely managing to avoid toppling off the bed, he sleepily stood up, nearly tripping over the blanket tangled around his legs as he wandered over to the kitchen. Noticing Tohru hovering over the stove busily making something that smelled delicious, he sauntered over to her silently and wrapped his arms around her from behind, unintentionally scaring her. Tohru jumped up, dropping the pan she was using back onto the stove nosily.

"Good morning…" Yuki muttered into her ear.

"A-Ah! Good morning, Yuki-kun! Breakfast is almost ready!" Tohru announced with a smile, relaxing instantly once she realized it was just Yuki.

Yuki nodded his head, dropping it to rest on her shoulder. Despite how scrumptious the scent was, sleepiness still overwhelmed him. He wasn't even completely sure that he was awake. This could have been another dream for all he knew, or maybe, this was one of those sleepwalking adventures he often found himself in. Either way, if he wasn't sleeping at the moment, he was positive he would be falling into a slumber again soon enough. Fingering his smooth silver locks that had spilled over her shoulder, Tohru smiled as he started to drift back to his dreams.

"You really aren't a morning person…" Tohru giggled, noting his shut eyes.

"Well, knowing I get to see your face makes it easier," he murmured, pressing his lips against her neck.

"…I remember when I found you sleeping outside by the tree. You looked so calm, and it was impossible to wake you," she laughed.

"And I remember that you gave me your first kiss then," Yuki teased her, his eyes snapping open.

Tohru's cheeks burned a bright red as she declared it was an accident. Yuki chuckled at her state of panic and embarrassment. Life was supposed to be like this, filled with laughs and love. Not how theirs were previously. Loneliness should never be the most vivid emotion a person remembered experiencing at home. He liked this living arrangement, even if the whole apartment was smaller than his old room. Tohru was all that was needed to make a place seem appealing to him. Even living in a cardboard box wouldn't seem so terrible if Tohru was there with him.

"How about breakfast?" Yuki asked, changing the subject for her sake.

"Y-Yes. Okay… Right away," she agreed, still embarrassed.

She quickly turned her attention back to the stove, grateful that the fire had been on low when Yuki distracted her. If not, their food would have been burnt black. He had a knack for making her forget about everything but him. It was hard for her to refocus on cooking with him standing right behind her and watching her every move. She didn't want to make a mistake, especially if he was watching. She had spent the last two hours preparing breakfast, and she didn't want to ruin it now. Luckily, he wandered over to the table before she wound up spilling the contents out of the pan. She quickly finished cooking and slid the cuisine onto a platter.

Skidding over to Yuki with plates and chopsticks in her other hand, she quickly plopped the dishes on the table and sat down. They ate their breakfast in a comfortable silence with a little bit of conversation here and there.

Yuki glanced at the clock once they finished, "It's about time we got going."

"For what?"

"You were the one who agreed that we'd help Uotani-san and Hanajima-san in order to stay here," Yuki reminded her.

"Oh…"

Tohru's smile slid down into a small frown. She had been looking forward to a day spent with Yuki since she awoke almost four hours ago. She didn't want to waste any of her time working, considering how many hours Yuki already spent sleeping or semiconscious, but if it's what she had to do to stay here with Yuki, she'd do it. She'd rather work until she could no longer move a muscle and live with Yuki rather than stay at her castle without him and never lift a finger. Yuki was her whole world, so living was a moot point if it didn't involve him. Besides, she was sure she'd do more harm than good trying to clean.

"Why so glum?"

"I-I don't think I'll do such a good job! I mean, I've never actually w-worked for anyone before," Tohru mumbled with a worried frown.

"Don't worry about it. You'll do fine… I've never had to work for anyone before either, but if we do get fired, we can always just stay somewhere else," Yuki reassured her.

"But I like this place…" Tohru murmured.

Yuki shook his head at her incredulously. He still couldn't figure out what she found so intriguing about this small place. After one night here, he liked the building less in general. He hardly got any sleep, but that probably had something to do with his trying to stay on the right side of the bed all night long. He hadn't wanted to disrupt her sleep at all, but in exchange for that, he had to sacrifice his own slumber. Yuki wouldn't complain though, as long as Tohru was content with the place. Her happiness mattered most to him.

He sighed, "And I have no idea why you do…. It's incredibly small."

"B-but that doesn't matter to me!" Tohru cried.

"I know… So let's go earn our stay," Yuki grinned.

He pulled her up from her seat, helping her stand up. Together, they headed out of their apartment after changing their clothes and washing the dishes. Arriving in the lobby, they were thrust with various cleaning tools. Yuki was holding a mop and a bucket of water with a white rag draped across his arm, and Tohru had a broom, dust pan, and a duster in her arms as soon as they got there. Uo shut the cleaning closet with a smile and waved her arms around the apartment. Yuki's and Tohru's eyes followed her hands across the front of the filth covered apartment building worriedly.

"I want this lobby clean, please."

Yuki and Tohru exchanged shocked expressions. They had a big task ahead of them if Uo expected the lobby to look spotless. What made it worse was that they had no idea whatsoever of what to do with these strange looking tools. One of them had some ragged strings attached to a long stick, and the other held a rod with some prickly bristles on one end. What good would those do? Luckily, Uo saw the bewilderment in their eyes, and assuming they weren't accustomed to this type of work since they were supposedly rich, she took the time to give them a short demonstration before retreating to her duty behind the counter.

Tohru, being more daring than Yuki at the moment, took the initiative and tested out the new equipment known as a broom. It took only a few sweeps before she got the hang of this. She giggled at Yuki's grimace, assuring him it was alright. Not very convinced that whirling stings attached to a pole around would do much cleaning, he started with the rag, wiping off the dusty surfaces after he set the mop and bucket to the side. The damp cloth revealed that the wood surface of the hotel was actually a dark brown, not the dull, gray brown Yuki and Tohru had been eluded to believe it was.

"Are you positive you want to do this? We can go back home where we have other people to do this stuff for us," Yuki reminded her.

"I don't want to go back. I want to stay here with you no matter what we have to do," Tohru insisted with a smile.

"All right… If you say so… But, if you want to go back… Just tell me, okay?"

Tohru nodded with a smile, knowing she wouldn't want to go back until their families were willing to let them be together.

Hours later, much longer than it should have taken, the hotel was notably cleaner. The chairs were still ruined and covered with holes and rips, but at least what surrounded them looked relatively new. The magazines had been stacked neatly into perfectly straight piles on dustless tables beside fresh, green plants. The floor no longer had layers of grime coating it, and the carpet didn't have crumbs of food and bits of other little miscellaneous things sticking to it any longer. Sadly, all the filth now seemed to be clinging to Tohru and Yuki. Not only had their lack of experience caused them to take twice as long as anyone else would have, but it also left the smut that was supposed to be clinging to the broom, mop, and rag smeared across their clothing and faces.

Giggling, Tohru beamed as she glanced up at Yuki. She stepped towards him with a smile, wiping the brown splotches off his face with the sleeves of her pink sweater. Yuki laughed and grabbed her wrists, lowering them before the fabric stained. He dragged her along with him to the supply closet, carrying all the cleaning supplies they had used with him. He shoved them all inside, not bothering to make sure it was neat and organized. Yuki shut the door quickly, positive that everything would come tumbling out onto the next person who tried opening it.

"Shall we go get permission to leave now?" Yuki asked Tohru.

She nodded, more than ready to return to their apartment. Yuki led her over to the counter, tapping on the wood top to get Uo's attention. She glanced up from the magazine she had been flipping through for the past hour, running her wide eyes across the lobby with shock. For a second, she doubted she was sitting in the same place. She was honestly more convinced that someone had moved her without her knowing than that this was actually the same apartment complex she had been in a few hours ago.

"Is this what you consider clean? Can we leave now?" Yuki questioned impatiently.

Uo's head bobbed up and down, and with that simple gesture, Yuki turned around and left, pulling Tohru along with him. Both of them walked away cautiously, careful not to let any of their soiled clothes leave any markings on the ground. Neither of them wanted to come back to clean some more. They did want, however, to shower and remove all the dirt from their bodies. Yuki, being a gentleman as usual, let Tohru use the bathroom first while he stood outside the door to keep himself from ruining any of the furniture by sitting on it.

After showering, Tohru headed over to prepare lunch as Yuki bathed himself. She was sure that if she was this hungry, Yuki must have been starving. Tohru was just beginning to add slices of fish to the stew she was making when Yuki came out of the shower.

"Yuki-ku-"

Tohru's greeting was cut off by three, short, raps against their door. He flashed her a smile before heading towards the door to answer it. To his surprise, an angry Uo stood outside the door. She didn't say a word, glaring malevolently at him instead. A malicious vibe seemed to spread through the room, eventually causing Tohru to peek around the doorframe to see who was there. She waved to Uo with a wide smile, but Uo seemed too furious to even return the gesture. The bottom of her ankle length skirt was sopped with murky water.

"Yes?" Yuki pressed, hesitating slightly.

Uo took a deep breath before hissing, "I honestly didn't really mind when a broom, mop, and rag fell out of the closet and hit me in the face, but I had to draw the line when the bucket, _still filled with water_, toppled onto the floor!"

Yuki grimaced. He must have forgotten to empty the dirty water with his hasty exit.

"I'll go clean that up for you…" he offered.

"You bet you are. You hear that, Tohru? I'm stealing your boyfriend for a bit!" Uo announced to Tohru.

"Umm… Okay," Tohru responded after the two left, too late for them to hear anything.

She stared at the closed door, feeling strangely alone. It was like he had just walked out of her life. Tohru was well aware that it was only a matter of time before he really did leave her, although not necessarily willingly. There was nothing she could do about that other than cherish every second she had left with the love of her life. Shaking her head, she decided it wasn't the right time to be upset over this. Surely, nobody would locate them too quickly. They had to have a month at least. Slightly cheered, she went back to cooking. Regardless, she couldn't help but let her mind wander as she let the soup simmer.

Lost in her fantasies, Tohru didn't hear Yuki return, but she did notice when some of the boiling soup splashed onto her hand. She jumped back with a yelp of pain as Yuki crept up behind her, grabbing her by the wrist and pressing his lips on top of her hand, where the soup had scorched her. Her eyes widened as she felt his tongue lick the burning liquid off her skin, but even with the blazing soup off her hand, the heat she felt didn't disappear. Only now, it was because of Yuki. Tohru nearly screamed out of shock, falling backwards into his arms. She blushed, humiliated as she stared up at his face.

"It tastes real good so far," Yuki commented with a grin.

"Yuki-kun! I-It's not done cooking! What if you g-get food p-poisoning?!" she shrieked worriedly.

"Suck the poison out then," he murmured to her before brushing his lips against hers.

Before she fainted out of oxygen deprivation, he broke the kiss and helped her back onto her feet, letting her go back to tending to the food. Yuki wandered around the apartment aimlessly, stopping by the window. Brushing aside the curtains, he peered out at the cloudy sky. Tohru watched him for a minute, wondering what he was thinking about at the moment. She couldn't figure out why his eyes seemed a little saddened. Was he disappointed? Did he regret coming here with her? Was she not worth it anymore? Her assumptions would have gone on if he hadn't peered back in her direction with a grin.

"Were you bored and lonely while I was gone?" he teased her.

"You were only gone for a few minutes!"

"So you didn't miss me at all?" he inquired, feigning sadness.

"Of course I did!" she insisted, missing the joke.

He laughed. She was bolder than she had been when they had first met but still just as gullible. This led him to wonder what she was like before they both forgot. Was she exactly the same? What did they used to do together? What did they say? How was their relationship any different? Most of all, he wondered if either of them would ever regain those scattered memories. Could they restore what was lost? Was it possible? Would it bring them closer or shove them farther apart? He only knew one thing for sure, and that was he had loved her enough to propose. Yuki doubted he could have loved her more than he did now though. He sat down on the armrest of the couch, deep in thought.

"-ki! Yuki?"

"Huh?" Yuki asked, getting shoved off his train of thoughts.

"I was just wondering if you were okay… You kept staring off into space with no signs of life! You weren't even answering my questions!" Tohru explained worriedly.

"I'm sorry… Just a little sidetracked, I guess…" Yuki replied apologetically.

Tohru stared at him, wishing he'd talk to her about whatever was bothering him instead of apologizing and keeping it to himself. Maybe, to him, he felt like he was protecting her, but she felt like he didn't trust her enough to confide in her. It hurt, especially since she trusted him with her life. He had rescued her so many times. How could she not trust him? But how many times had she saved him? Zero. She never got the chance to gain his trust and that upset her, but regardless, she thought he knew she wouldn't judge him for whatever it was that he was thinking about. They were past trying to impress one another, weren't they? At least, she thought he was. It seemed quite obvious that he was everything she wanted, and she was positive that there was nothing he could say that would change her mind about that.

"Tohru, is something wrong?"

She looked straight into his concerned eyes and shook her head with a fake smile. If he could pretend that nothing was wrong to keep her from worrying, than she could do the same for him. He fretted over nothing enough as it was. Even the tiniest thing that happened to her made him distress unnecessarily. Besides, he seemed like he had enough on his mind already. He didn't need to start fussing over her trivial affairs. Yuki didn't seem to believe her though, shooting her a disbelieving look that made her avert her eyes.

"Tohru, I know something is bothering you. It's all right if you'd rather not tell me. I understand, just as long as you're okay," he told her.

Why did he make her feel so guilty? She didn't have it in her to keep anything from him. Tohru gave up and walked over to him, plopping down in front of him. Silently, she rested her head on his lap. He looked down at her intently. For a moment, they just stayed like that, hopelessly lost in their own world. Yuki ran his fingers through her silky strands of hair. He pushed her brown locks away from her face, securing them behind her ear. Tohru covered his hand with hers, keeping his hand above her ear.

"I just want you to talk to me…" she murmured in a quiet voice.

"What do you mean?" he asked for clarification, not quite understanding her request. He was speaking with her at the moment, wasn't he?

"You still don't tell me what's wrong. You keep everything to yourself. I don't like that… It makes me feel l-like I'm j-just a tagalong in y-your life. I don't want to be pushed aside when you get bored of me…" Tohru whispered.

"Tohru, I'm not going to cast you aside, ever. You're everything to me, my life, my whole reason for living. Why would you even think that? I love you more than you'll ever know," Yuki responded gently.

"B-but I don't feel like you love me. You're here, but you're not. I just want you to talk to me… I'm sorry if I sound selfish, but you'll feel better if you let these things out, s-so please, tell someone whatever is bothering you, even if that person isn't me," Tohru pleaded.

She wrapped her arms around his legs, clenching them tightly. Tohru sniffled, trying her hardest not to cry without avail. The tears started to slide down her cheeks despite her efforts to keep them in. Burying her face in his pants, she tried to hide her cries from him, but yet again, she failed. Yuki leaned over her body, wrapping his arms around her. He laid his head down on the top of her shoulders in an awkward embrace. He was silent for a moment before he spoke to her gently in attempt to sooth her agony.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel that way… There's nothing to say. Nothing's bothering me, Tohru… I'm so sorry I upset you…" he whispered into her ear.

Tohru didn't say anything. Once again, he had avoided opening up to her. Realizing his words hadn't raised her spirits at all, Yuki frowned. He hooked his arms under her armpits, breaking her hold on his legs as he pulled her up higher to be able to see her face. He set her down on his lap. Gingerly, he touched her chin, lifting it ever so slightly, just enough so he was looking into her eyes, but she glanced down immediately, not meeting his gaze as she furiously wiped at her wet eyes. He looked hurt when she pulled her head away from him.

"Tohru, forgive me, please?" Yuki begged her.

This had only been their second day here. It was too soon for her to be mad at him. He had to fix this now. Yuki hated the silence hanging in the air. It only meant that she was too upset with him to even find words to express her frustration. He watched her sniffle and fiddle with her hands, keeping her face downcast. Placing his hand on her head, he pressed her head against his chest. She didn't resist, but by her stiff posture, he could tell she didn't exactly want to be there, so it caught him off guard when Tohru knocked him over onto the couch with a tight embrace. He fell onto the cushions with a weeping girl on top of him.

"No. I can't forgive you! Not until you talk to me!" she sobbed, clenching his shirt between her hands.

Yuki held her, trying his hardest to comfort Tohru. It seemed like the only thing he did now was make her cry. He stroked her back, muttering soothing words to her. Was it love that made his heart throb so much when she cried? Every time she felt down, he was brought down with her. Yet, when she grinned, he found a smile across his face as well. Whatever scared her or upset her he found himself wishing it away from the earth. This one woman affected him from head to toe. She was the center of his life, making this whole situation that had made her cry inexcusable.

Tohru stole a glance up at Yuki as she blinked back tears. He wiped away the rest of the droplets that covered her cheeks, hoping new ones wouldn't come to take their place

"I'm sorry… I'm really stupid… How many times do I have to make you cry until I learn? I still need to learn how to really be in a relationship. You're my first and only love, you know that? So I don't have much experience in this area. I don't know what to tell you, but if you'll be my teacher, I just may be able to become worthy of you…" Yuki breathed.

A muffled sound escaped Tohru's lips. Yuki's face contorted with worry. He wasn't sure if it was a cry or a laugh. He hoped it was the latter. He wasn't sure he could handle any more sadness from her. Frowns and tears didn't suit her face at all. He stroked her back, praying she'd speak soon. It seemed to take an eternity before Tohru pushed herself off of his chest with a smile etched across her face. He instantly relaxed, relieved to find she was beaming. Although she was the type of girl who sometimes grinned for no apparent reason, he was sure this time she was smiling because she had forgiven him.

"I don't know much either! I've never had a boyfriend before you! I wouldn't be a very good teacher!" Tohru giggled.

It was impossible to stay mad at him. She just couldn't. Tohru couldn't even help but feel giddy whenever she was with him. She loved him and knew she couldn't force him to do anything he didn't want to. How could she when he gave her anything she wanted from him? More than jubilant, Yuki pulled her back down into an embrace, holding her there closely. He kissed her above her ear as Tohru hugged him back, still grinning. Yuki sat up, still squishing her against his chest.

"Of course you'd be a good teacher. You've already taught me so much…" Yuki reassured her.

Tohru let him lift her up in his arms and bring her to the table, setting her in one of the chairs. He pushed her in towards the table, leaving her as he went to go fetch their food. Since serving food had nothing to do with cooking something, he was sure he could do this just fine. With a smile, he returned with two bowls of food in his hands. Setting one in front of her, he slid his over to the other end of the table before bowing to her like a waiter from an exquisite restaurant. She laughed. Locking her arms around his neck, she pulled him near her to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"So you forgive me and aren't going to give up on me and leave?" he questioned her seriously.

She nodded timidly and grabbed his hands, squeezing them tightly. Butterflies still fluttered in her stomach when she was around him. What was it about him that could make her shiver on a hot day, feel like she was burning in the middle of winter, and feel safe in the midst of danger? Once in a while, she'd find herself believing she was trapped in some fairytale. She could never believe such a perfect guy existed. He was inhumanly kind and surreally gorgeous, yet he claimed to love her while she was just another regular girl, not extraordinarily beautiful or even remarkably interesting.

"Of course…. I love you!" Tohru exclaimed with a wide smile.

"Yay…" he laughed.

"But… I want you to talk to me more," Tohru added softly.

Yuki readily agreed as Tohru released him and let him retreat back to his seat across from her. He'd tell her anything she wanted to know. He knew she wasn't very fond of secrets, not after the Machi situation and his not telling her about being a prince. He would have told her everything he had ever thought if only she had let him know how she felt about this. He had no idea that she had felt excluded and even unwanted. It was just natural for him to keep everything to himself. Nobody had ever cared to hear his thoughts and opinions before Tohru.

"What would you like to know?"

"Umm…" she stuttered, unsure of what she actually wanted to hear. Randomly picking a subject, she responded, "What's your family like?"

He groaned, "My family? There's nothing to say about them…"

She knew she had asked the wrong question. His whole body appeared tense, and an aura of anger, fear, and frustration seemed to build around him. Nonetheless, she was curious. Having grown up in a happy family, she didn't understand how there was no love between the members of his family. From the brief interlude she had with his brother and cousin Shigure, they didn't seem too bad, but then again, she hadn't spent enough time with them to know them at all. She did have a little experience with sinister relatives due to her aunt and uncle, but she was still under the impression that they didn't hate her, so she still loved them.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked," Tohru frantically apologized.

Yuki looked down, stabbing at a piece of meat with his chopsticks. There was no reason for her to apologize. It wasn't her fault his family was beyond cruel. He glanced up at her distraught expression. She was seriously concerned that she had offended him. He was glad to see that she was back to normal and not even the least bit irked at him anymore, but he also felt guilty now for making her fuss over his reaction towards a silly question about his family. His expression softened a bit as he steered his thoughts away from his parents and back to Tohru.

"It's okay…. I asked you what you wanted to hear about without warning you," Yuki replied, "Actually, I don't mind telling you a little. My mother, she's quite an interesting character. She's very demanding and controlling. If something doesn't go her way, she gets mad, but then again, she's always angry. You could probably guess she's the one who set up my engagement to Machi… Then there's my father, who I was starting to like… But…"

Yuki began telling her about each of his family members little by little. Tohru stared at him. How could such a sweet guy emerge from such a horrible household? Nobody was ever there for him or seriously loved him, yet he still managed to smile and laugh. That was amazing to her, although she was baffled by the fact that he even knew what love was. All she knew now was that she desired to fix his wounded heart and give him the love he'd been lacking. She'd try. She'd give it her all. He deserved to be loved and feel cherished.

"And then Kyo, who just hates me for no apparent reason. I believe you saw him before, orange hair… Remember?" he waited for her to nod before continuing, "Well I hate him too, so it doesn't matter. Oh, and my idiotic brother, Ayame. You met him when you stayed with me. He's not too bad, I guess. Then there's Shigure… Unfortunately, you had to meet him as well. He's a pervert. Please, don't stay in a room with him alone again. Try to avoid him at all costs next time? And finally, there's Hatori, the doctor. He treated you… He's not that bad. He seems cold, but he's nice underneath."

Her head was spinning around. He was giving her so much to take in, not to mention her mind was analyzing everything he was saying and hurling new thoughts for her to ponder over. Was he hinting that she'd see the rest of them one day? At the end, it almost seemed like he was hinting that she'd move in with him eventually. Tohru had always dreamed about marrying him sometime in the future and living with him, but after hearing these _lovely _depictions of his parents, she wasn't looking forward to living under the same roof as them. She flinched, suddenly feeling his eyes on her.

"Tohru, are you all right?"

Had he told her too much? He was trying his best to tell her everything. It was hard for him to seriously trust anyone with all the rejection he had faced in his life, yet she broke through his walls so easily. The stone barricades he had once built around him crumbled to dust whenever she was near. She shattered his barriers twice. Both times he was sure he had fallen in love with her. She had changed him. That's why he loved her so much, not for her looks or to get back at his parents, but because she had accepted him and loved him for himself, never asking for anymore despite his numerous flaws. Her love for him was just another reason he wanted to grant her wish so desperately.

"Yes! I'm okay! Just a little taken aback by all of that. You're telling me so much now! I'm not used to it," Tohru laughed.

"Well, I don't want you to think I don't love you… Because I love you so much that I can't even bear it sometimes," Yuki replied honestly.

Tohru fidgeted in her seat, ashamed now to have told him that she felt like he was neglecting her. That couldn't be further from the truth. He cared more for her than anyone ever had before. He was her best friend and her lover, the most valuable person to her. He listened to everything she had to say without judging her in any way. He took care of her, insisting on doing everything for her besides cook. He even tucked her into bed at night. Yuki couldn't have made his love for her much more obvious.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean that… I know you love me… and I can tell too… I was just a bit mad at you…" Tohru confessed.

"I know."

Startled, Tohru peered at him with bewildered eyes. He didn't sound very furious. She had thought for sure he'd be irritated by the fact that she had lied to him, but he seemed perfectly at ease as he continued to eat, flashing her a serene smile. She couldn't figure out what he was thinking. She couldn't even get a vague idea of his thoughts. Lies were bad, so she didn't understand why he was smiling. Tohru wanted to be able to read his mind more than anything at the moment.

"You knew?"

"Of course. I love you. You'd think I'd know the one I love really well, wouldn't you? I can tell how you really feel, even if you act happy," Yuki told her.

Tohru grinned, "I can too, so don't hide anything from me, okay?"

Yuki nodded. He hadn't meant to hide anything from her. It was just something he was accustomed to doing. He was more of an introvert by nature and tended to keep things to himself. Back at home, it was safer not to confide in anyone. Traitors and eavesdroppers loomed around the castle, ready to report anything to his parents at every moment. He knew no one was here but Tohru, and he trusted her more than anyone else, but old habits were hard to break, especially ones formed to keep one safe.

"I'll try my best… It's a hard jump from hiding everything from my family to telling it all to you," Yuki admitted.

"I'll wait as long as it takes…." Tohru whispered.

"You're patient," Yuki mused, "But you're also stubborn and persistent."

"Eh?"

Tohru chewed the bottom of her lip worriedly. Stubborn and persistent weren't exactly good traits to have, but he only seemed entertained as he spoke, not the least bit annoyed. He reached across the table for her hand, covering it with his fingers. Yuki didn't want her forlorn again. He was aware of the fact that she considered herself unworthy of him and constantly fussed over her flaws, both in character and appearance, but he didn't understand how she could constantly find new faults with herself when he noticed nothing but perfection.

"Don't worry. I like that. This way, I know you won't give up on me… or on us," Yuki added with a smile.

"I won't give up! I'll be with you forever! Giving up is not an option!" Tohru exclaimed.

This journey was going to be a hard one. If anything, he knew that for sure, but he wouldn't give in. He wasn't ready to let her go, nor would he ever be. Why couldn't anyone else see that? She was his everything, and he was hers. Nothing could ever change that. Ever. Love was the chains that bounded him to Tohru and her to him, and there was no key to free them from that bond, nor did they want to be freed. They truly loved each other, and there was no such thing as forgetting one another. Even if they were forced apart, they'd never leave each other's heart. True love never fades.

"So has your mom ever spoken of me?" Tohru inquired curiously.

He was silent as he stiffened in his seat, lying through his teeth, "No."

Tohru gazed at him skeptically.

"Yes she did. What did she say?"

Yuki sighed, glancing up at her with raised eyebrows. There was no need to tell her about it, yet she was insisting he did. Telling her what his mother thought of her was a sure way to upset her and make her think even less of herself. He didn't want to do either of those things to her. As much as he hated not giving her what she desired, he hardly wanted to discuss what his mother said about her. Why was it that she seemed only to want to hear about negative things? First his family and now this? By the determination in her eyes, he doubted he could avoid this discussion. There'd be no escaping without telling her. After all, he had just agreed to tell her everything.

"Tohru…" he whispered, trying to warn her that this was not something she wanted to hear.

"I know she doesn't like me… I just want to know… I won't get mad, please?" Tohru pleaded.

"She doesn't talk about you much…" Yuki told her.

Tohru folded her arms across her chest. He'd only try this hard to get her to drop this subject if his mother had said something about her that he didn't want her to know. Sometimes, she hated how he treated her like a child. She could take a few insults without crying, as long as those slanders weren't something Yuki had said. She only cared about his opinions anyways. A couple of tirades from someone she wasn't even acquainted with wouldn't matter. She was just merely curious.

"Yuki…"

"Okay… She called you a bitch," Yuki admitted.

"And…?"

"And I threw a tantrum?"

Tohru stared wide-eyed at Yuki. She couldn't imagine him doing anything of that sort. He always seemed calm and collected. Yuki hadn't even been angry at her since she met him. He was never anything other than sweet and kind. She had seen him irritated before though but never enough to throw a fit, especially not over something as frivolous as a couple of words his mother had said about her. It was kind of him to defend her, but he didn't need to get so enraged. Regardless, it made her happy to hear he cared enough to stand up for her.  
"_You_ did?" Tohru giggled.

"Yes? I couldn't just sit there and let her make up crap like that."

"Thank you for defending me," Tohru smiled.

She stood up and walked over to him and sweetly pressed her lips to his. She felt his hands slide to the back of her head and her waist, pulling her closer to him as he returned her kisses. Desperate for air, Tohru broke the kiss with a wide grin. He smiled back at her, rubbing his nose against hers. Tohru fought down a fit of hysterics. She could tell he was bewildered by this unexpected treat although he didn't vocalize his confusion.

"Thank you for opening up to me…" she whispered, not taking her eyes from his for a second.

"I get a reward now? So what else do you want to hear?" he teased her, pulling her into his arms. She couldn't resist laughing now as she hugged him affectionately.

The rest of the day passed without event. It was night time before either one of them knew it.

Tohru let him lift her up in his arms and bring her to bed after turning off the television they had been watching in the living room. Gingerly, he set her down, and Tohru smiled brightly, grabbing his shirt tightly in her hands. Yuki laughed lightly as she tried to pull him down without success. He tossed the bed coverings on her playfully. She squeaked, fumbling around to dig herself out of the pile of sheets and pillows that buried her. He watched her pop her head out with a grin. Yuki leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. Tohru reached out and touched his face, letting her hands explore his well-known skin. She traced his mouth with the tips of her finger as Yuki pressed his lips against her fingers, kissing them lovingly. A giggle left her mouth before she shyly pulled back. She scooted over, inviting Yuki to join her.

He did, but he kept to his side as he had done last night.

She stared at Yuki, laying two feet away from her on the bed. He was close enough to the edge to fall off if he moved even an inch. She felt guilty for making him stay here with her. He didn't look very comfortable there. The couch might have been cozier for him. She scooted closer to him under the covers, crawling over and slipping her arms around his waist. She didn't see a reason for the boundaries he had drawn between them.

"Tohru?"

"Just for a little bit… I want you to hold me, please? It's lonely when you avoid me like this…" Tohru breathed.

Yuki rested his arms over hers. He couldn't say no to his angel. She was too cute in his eyes. It was impossible to refuse her. Even if she asked him to run across the world ten times, he'd do it. That's what true love did to a person. He sighed, not saying anything, afraid to break the fragile silence. Yuki turned around, encircling her in his arms. Tohru smiled and snuggled against his chest, feeling warmer than she would beneath fifty covers.

"I love you, Yuki-kun…" she murmured with a yawn.

"I'll love you whenever… wherever… forever…" he responded slowly.

**Yay for Pointless Fluff! **


	31. No Matter What

Shuddering, Tohru awoke in the middle of the night, partially due to the draft she felt against her skin and half because of some quiet shuffling around the room and hardly audible murmurs. She slowly opened her eyes, rubbing them as she scanned the room for the source of the noise and breeze. At first, she noticed the open balcony doors, letting in the chilly, night air. Funny. She didn't recall opening those doors. Next, she found a tall shadow standing several feet in front of her. It was too dark to make out any facial features, but besides the obscurity, she wasn't sure the person was even facing her.

"Yuki?" she whispered quietly.

No, it couldn't be Yuki. If that was Yuki, then whose arm was she holding onto? Was it a burglar? The type of people she had heard about who stole things from you? Tohru stared at the intruder, growing more frightened with each passing second. He held something out before his face, examining it satisfactorily. It appeared that he hadn't heard Tohru's call, to her relief. She squeezed Yuki's arm tightly, hoping they wouldn't get hurt.

Help.

That's what she needed to get. But how? What if the person was armed? Tohru cowered under the blanket, hoping the thief would leave until she noticed her bare wrist. Her bracelet! For the first time, she saw the diamonds glinting under the moonlight in the hands of the robber.

Tohru shrieked in a high pitched voice. The invader flinched and darted past her after a quick glance in her direction. He flew out the balcony door a few feet from the bed, and she heard the quick foot steps fade into the distance as the thief tried to escape. Yuki shot up, clutching her body to him and checking to see if she was okay instantly. She didn't seem harmed, and he was beginning to suspect she had had a nightmare, but she seemed too worked up to be fussing over a figment of her imagination. His eyes scanned her terror stricken face a second time, worriedly asking, "What's wrong?"

"Bad guy! Bracelet! Gone!" Tohru cried, struggling to form a complete sentence with no success.

"Where'd he go?" Yuki inquired, somehow managing to understand her rambling perfectly.

Tohru stuck a shaky finger out, pointing to her left. Yuki nodded once as he threw off the covers, jumping out of bed. Awestruck, Tohru reached for Yuki. She didn't understand what he was doing hopping out of bed like that. She grasped his hand in hers, shaking as she tried to ask what he was doing, but she never got the chance. He gently pried her fingers off of his and set them in a pile on her lap. Yuki leaned forward, briskly kissing her on her cheek, hoping to provide her with a small form of comfort before he left.

"Stay here, don't move," Yuki ordered her before taking off.

She sat there, trembling as she watched Yuki run out. It took less than a minute before she was joined by a frantic Uo and Hana. Having a key to every room in the apartment complex, it wasn't very difficult for them to make their way in. They both sat down beside Tohru, taking her hands in theirs and squeezing them without pressing her for an explanation. She seemed too petrified to speak, almost in tears. Besides, they could put the pieces together from the open door and blowing curtains that there had most likely been a break-in.

Tohru sat there anxiously, wishing Yuki would just come back already. She regretted telling him about the robber. She didn't care about a silly bracelet enough to make him risk his life to go retrieve it for her. If he came back injured, she'd never be able to forgive herself. Tohru swallowed nervously, wrestling with tears to keep them locked behind her eyes. Each passing second grew more difficult to bear, as if the air was thickening, making it harder to breathe. Worry ate away at her, tossing at her visions of one catastrophe after another, haunting her until she heard the front door open. Tohru jumped a little, clutching Uo's shoulder tightly.

Relief flooded her body when she saw the bedroom door swing open, and his silver hair shining under the beam of the moon caught her gaze. He entered with a smile. Tohru's tense posture instantly relaxed at his return. She had been apprehensively awaiting him. Not knowing where he was or what was happening to him was pure torture, and sitting around here and waiting for him to come back made her feel more helpless than she usually did. She had never experienced such fret at once before. Tohru was well aware of his physical capabilities, but she still hated the idea that he had just been around a potentially dangerous man, whom Yuki seemed to disregard as harmless, she noted as Yuki strode over to her, completely unfazed.

"Tohru, here," Yuki smiled, holding his hand out to her.

Tohru cupped her hands together to form a little bowl, extending them out to Yuki. With a grin, he dropped her bracelet into her hands and sat down before her, beaming as she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly against herself. Tohru grinned, whispering a thank you to him before she pressed her lips against his cheek firmly, letting her tears hit his face. Dumbfounded, Yuki hugged her back, not understanding the cause of her tears. She was smiling seconds ago, but now, she appeared to be overcome with sorrow.

"Never do that again, please… I don't care if someone steals my bracelet again," Tohru sniffled.

"So you don't care about my gift to you?" Yuki asked, playfully sulking.

"No, no! I do! B-But it's you I love and worry about losing…." she breathed.

Yuki turned his face slightly to his left, catching her lips in his. Tohru clung to him, pulling him closer as she returned his kiss, forgetting about her two friends sitting on either end of her until Uo cleared her throat. Tohru automatically pulled away with a blush, hiding her face against Yuki's chest. Yuki laughed. He could never figure out why an embrace seemed acceptable in front of others to her, and so did a kiss on the cheek, but as soon as he tried kissing her on the lips, she'd flush and break away if anyone was watching. He understood her preference of privacy for displays of affection, but he didn't get why she had to freak out on him like this. It was perfectly normal for a couple to engage in a kiss, but this was Tohru and her timidity, so he wouldn't complain.

Feeling as if they were intruding and seeing that they were unneeded as of now, Uo and Hana stood up.

"We're going to head back now. Later, Tohru, Yuki," Uo called with a yawn.

"Bye-bye, Uo-chan, Hana-chan!" Tohru responded, still partially hiding against Yuki's shirt.

"Goodbye. Thank you for taking care of Tohru for me," Yuki added.

"That was not a problem," Hana responded before following Uo out the door.

Tohru didn't lift her head until she heard the front door shut again. She glanced up at Yuki with a smile, wrapping her arms around his midriff and resting her cheek on his shoulder. Tohru held him tightly, unable to release him for a few minutes. She needed him in her arms for a moment before she could be assured that he was actually safe and intact. Yuki seemed amused by her actions as he lavished her cheek with kisses in a carefree manner. Tohru shied away from him, turning her head to the other side with a blush. Yuki grinned, pressing his lips against her hair instead.

"I was so worried.…" she whispered, trying her best not to pay any mind to where his lips were.

"Silly girl. I grew up doing things like that on a daily basis…. I wouldn't die that easily.… There was nothing to be worried about."

"Daily basis?" Tohru repeated in a bewildered voice.

Tohru pulled away, staring at him in awe. She didn't like the sound of Yuki encountering difficulties like a burglar every day. It terrified her to hear that. Tohru wasn't very fond of violence. She didn't want Yuki to be involved with anything that could jeopardize him in any way. If she could, she'd make him stay in her arms constantly, just to make sure he was always safe. Tohru was aware she wouldn't be able to protect him very well, ever, he'd probably be the one saving her, but she liked the fact that she'd always know that he was all right.

She could tell he wasn't bothered by this as he responded, "Yes…. My mother had this paranoid notion that'd I'd get kidnapped some day. I was taught every defense mechanism by the best instructors in the country for an hour everyday for ten years."

"And have you ever needed to put those skills to use?"

"Excluding today and various fights with Kyo, I've needed them a total of five times."

"You've almost been kidnapped five times?" Tohru asked in horror.

He nodded, "Who do you think I am?"

Her jaw dropped as she peered at Yuki with sad eyes. That was worse than she had expected. She couldn't remember ever getting kidnapped, not even nearly. Her parents were overprotective and never sent her out alone. Before meeting Yuki and her sneaks out to see him, she'd never actually left the castle without a guard before or at least letting someone know where she'd be. Even so, when she snuck out to be with Yuki, she never felt in peril. Yuki was always there to protect her. Nothing bad ever happened to her when she was with him. He didn't allow it.

"Poor Yuki-kun…" Tohru whimpered.

"You've been through worse. Nothing ever really happened to me those five times. I wasn't stupid enough to follow them along."

Yuki shook his head lightly at her. She was the one who had almost been hit by a car, was nearly attacked by some man in town, almost got raped by her fiancé, and was constantly ridiculed by her aunt and uncle. He couldn't figure out why she was fussing over a few kidnap attempts on him when he was a child. He obviously escaped unscathed. He was right here with her, wasn't he? That clearly wasn't enough of a reassurance for Tohru as her worried grip around his hand hadn't loosened one bit.

"I'm glad you're safe…." Tohru murmured.

"And I'm glad you're all right. He didn't hurt you or anything, right?"

"No… I'm fine. Did you get hurt?" Tohru asked frantically.

She had completely forgotten to ask that in the first place. Fretting over his past troubles had distracted her from the condition he was in now. Tohru thought back to his entrance, she hadn't noticed any limp or anything other than normality from him, which relieved her. Her eyes wandered over him, checking for an injury but finding none. She was temporarily comforted by this. Yuki watched her taut face relax into a small smile. He sighed, mentally arguing over which he preferred, ruining her mood or lying to her. He'd rather do neither, but he had no choice. Yuki chose the former, deciding he could always cheer her up again later.

"A little," he answered truthfully with a shrug.

"No, no, no, no, no! Where?!" Tohru squeaked worriedly.

"Shh…" he whispered to her, covering her lips with two of his fingers, "It's not serious. I'm fine. Calm down."

"Where?" Tohru repeated once he removed his hand from her mouth.

He sighed again and held his palm up to her face for inspection. There was a deep cut running across his palm. Tohru gasped in shock as she took his hand into both of hers. The color of her face drained as she noticed the blood starting to drip down his wrist. His blood was even sliding over her fingers. Her eyes showed ten different levels of worry as she looked up from the injury into his eyes in terror. She didn't understand his idea of wellbeing. This was not fine in her terms.

"This isn't serious?!" she shrieked.

"Tohru, relax."

"You're bleeding! How can I relax?!" Tohru squealed.

Tohru slid off the bed and made an attempt at pulling him up but found herself too weak to do so. She pouted, her eyebrows furrowing in anguish. Yuki rolled his eyes but stood up for her, letting her drag him toward the bathroom and fuss over his hand. She pushed his hand under the faucet along with hers, washing his blood off both of them. Without the sticky, red, liquid covering the cut, she could see it was a pretty thin incision but deep enough to make her a bit nauseous at the sight. She had never been especially talented at handling gashes and the sort, but she refused to let Yuki deal with his wound by himself.

"Yuki…" Tohru whined.

He smiled and shook his head, watching her squeeze soap onto her hands and scrub his wound gently. She kept glancing at him periodically, awaiting some signs of pain, but his face didn't change. His expression remained calm as she continued washing the cut. Tohru looked back down at the cut, slowing her actions as she found the bleeding hadn't stopped yet. Praying she hadn't already let too much blood drain out of his body, she started rinsing the suds off his skin. She didn't like the looks of the injury.

"Does it hurt?"

"No," Yuki answered.

Tohru turned off the water after a minute, wrapping his hand in a towel. She squeezed tightly, hoping the pressure would hinder some of the blood flow. To her dismay, blood still rushed to the surface of his skin after she removed the bloodstained towel. Tohru grimaced slightly as she rushed to go find other disinfectants, so she could finish the cleaning process already and dress the wound. She quickly pulled out a bottle of alcohol and poured some on a cotton ball.

"This is going to hurt a little!" Tohru warned.

Yuki smiled at her caring nature and nodded.

Tohru took a deep breath before swabbing it across his injury, hoping it didn't cause him too much additional pain, but he didn't even flinch or wince as she finished disinfecting the wounds. She almost began to wonder if he was immune to pain. She knew for a fact that if their positions were switched, she would have been begging him not to touch her with the sterilizing agent, or at least, she would have made him hold her hand as he did so. She felt like a wimp now as she tossed out the germ covered cotton. Tohru pulled out the bandages next, wrapping bands of gauze around his entire hand. With a satisfied smile, she tied a bow and muttered, "All done!"

"Thank you," he murmured, bringing her hand to his lips and gently brushing them against her soft skin.

"It was no problem!" she cried with a dark blush.

Yuki beamed at her, leading her out of the bathroom. Tohru trailed along side him, taking his unharmed hand in hers. He gave her a reassuring squeeze, wordlessly letting her know in vain not to worry. She'd be concerned regardless of what he told her. For such a gullible person, she was extremely difficult to pacify once she was worked up. Just another reason why he hated showing her his injuries. She'd freak over a paper cut. Anything that involved blood, even a droplet, made her distress unnecessarily. He didn't like seeing her like this, chewing her lip and furrowing her face in concern.

"Yuki-kun, did he hurt you?" Tohru inquired with a frown.

"Not really… It was really my fault. He had a knife… and I accidentally grabbed the blade. Pretty careless, nn?" Yuki explained, hoping this would placate her slightly.

"No… I'm just glad you're okay! I'm sorry! It's all my fault that you got hurt!" Tohru sniffled in a small voice, trying to contain her tears.

Yuki gazed at her incredulously, finding her words hard to believe. If she hadn't worn the jewelry, then the thief wouldn't have had any reason to rob them, leading her to believe that she was the cause of Yuki's harm. He didn't understand why she felt obligated to take the blame for every misfortune in the world. Yuki laughed, shaking his head as he took a seat on the bed. Tohru's face shined with confusion as she dropped down beside him. There was nothing funny about a burglar and his injury, but he was grinning as if she had told him some hilarious joke.

"Tohru, Tohru, Tohru. Don't be silly. This isn't your fault at all. Stop taking the blame for everything, please," he told her sweetly.

She rested his head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as she nodded.

"Ready to go back to sleep?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and making her drop down on the bed with him.

"I don't think I can…." Tohru admitted.

She opened her eyes, staring at him with a worry filled expression. Yuki pulled her closer to him, stroking her back, trying to console her. His plan of cheering her up after ruining her spirits was failing at this rate. Tohru was a naturally cheerful person, making it quite an easy task to elevate her mood on those rare occasions where she felt down, but apparently, the usual hug and backrub wasn't doing its trick today. Her gloom was beyond his comprehension. He had gotten her bracelet back for her, and she had already dealt with his wound. What else was there upsetting her?

"Did the robber scare you? I promise he won't ever come near you again," Yuki reassured her.

"What did you do to him?" Tohru asked curiously.

"Nothing you need to know or want to know. Just believe that he won't be stealing ever again," Yuki whispered to her.

"Okay…" Tohru agreed willingly.

She got the point. It wasn't a happy, pleasant story where there was no harm done. She was positive Yuki taught the thief a lesson he would never forget, and she was also sure that Yuki was smart enough not to do anything that would send him to prison. Actually, she wasn't quite sure that what he did was legal, but at least she knew he would have been careful enough not to leave evidence. She didn't know what she'd do if he got in trouble with the law. His actions had probably been bordering illegal, so she'd rather not know what he did. She preferred to continue thinking her Yuki was perfectly harmless. Tohru could live without knowing the gory details.

"Feel better? Can you sleep now?" Yuki questioned.

"That wasn't what was bothering me," Tohru murmured.

"Then what is?"

"You."

Yuki held back any signs of shock, keeping his mouth in a straight line and the rest of his face expressionless. Had he done something to offend her? He didn't recollect doing anything hurtful to her. He had patiently let her play nurse with his wound without voicing a single complaint, and he hadn't kept the cut a secret from her. Yuki wasn't sure what he had done this time to upset her. Usually his secrecy was what bothered her, but he was sure he wasn't hiding anything from her, except for their past –which she had agreed to allow him to tell her about later. Regardless, the reason for her ill feelings toward him was less important than making her feel at ease.

"Would you like me to leave?" Yuki offered, trying his best not to sound hurt.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Tohru squealed, wrapping her arms tightly around his chest.

"Then what?"

Yuki was truly baffled now. At least she wasn't angered with him. That alleviated some of his fear, but he was not even a step closer to figuring out the source of Tohru's misery. He flipped onto his side, facing her, hoping to convey to her some of his desire for an explanation, but she seemed reluctant to tell him anything. Tohru kept her face buried in his chest, either ignoring his perplexed look or not noticing it. With two fingers, he tilted her face up, making her meet his eyes as he tacitly urged her to continue talking.

"I'm worried about the future…" Tohru finally confessed, trailing off shyly.

"About our future?" he asked.

Tohru nodded in affirmation. He crushed her against his chest, stroking her hair. That was the last thing he wanted her to worry about. There wasn't much he could think of to sooth her over the subject of their future. He was well aware of the shakiness of their future. About anything could crumble the miniscule chance that they'd end up together. Yuki would bet anything he had that their relationship was a well-known fact to both of their families now and that they were rummaging through every nook and cranny for them, ready to ruin their hope of staying together. He knew that, but he'd rather keep Tohru in the dark. Worrying would do them no good. He'd rather have her joyful if these days here were meant to be that last he ever shared with her.

"Oh Tohru… There's nothing to be worried about," Yuki reassured her, "We'll be together… I know it."

"I'm worried about before."

"What about before?"

"Before we're able to be together… I'm worried about what they're going to do when they find us…." Tohru told him.

Understanding finally reached Yuki. He could follow her worries now –or so he thought. When their families located them, there was sure to be a bout of violence, and he naturally assumed she was fretting over any potential injuries she might receive because of that. This would be a simple fix. He'd just have to explain to her how it was impossible for him to even let her get a single scratch. Too bad he didn't realize he had already diverged from the actual trail of her thoughts.

"I won't let them hurt you. I promise…." Yuki vowed.

"That's what I'm worried about! I don't want you to!" Tohru exclaimed.

Tohru pushed him away a bit, folding her arms across her chest with the most determined expression he had ever seen across her face. She almost appeared to be furious, but there was too much fret in her eyes to display the emotion of anger properly. Yuki was completely lost now. He didn't have any grasp of her words anymore. She was worried about what would happen if their families located them, but she didn't want him to help her out if someone was going to harm her?

"You don't want me to save you?"

Tohru nodded in confirmation to his utter bewilderment. Did she seriously expect him to allow anyone to lay a finger on her with malicious intents? He would have suspected her of joking if it weren't for the obvious expectant look in her eyes. She was really asking him not to do a thing if someone tried to hurt her. He shook his head in refusal. Yuki would normally give her anything she asked for, but this he could not bring himself to oblige with. He loved her too much and knew her too well to agree with such a plan when he knew she was the opposite of masochistic.

"You want _me_ to let _them_ hurt _you_? Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes! If they want to hurt me, let them. Don't come near. I don't want them to lay a finger on you…. If they take me back, I want you to stay here. Don't run after me, don't fight, don't try anything. Please. Don't do anything for me," she pleaded.

"I can't do that, Tohru…. How can you expect me to sit by and let someone harm you?" Yuki asked.

"You'll make me worry about you…. What if you get hurt again? What would I do then, Yuki-kun?" Tohru cried.

She had no idea she could worry this much until today's robbery. Tohru knew one thing for sure, and that was she never wanted to experience such concern and helplessness again. She didn't want him to get hurt again. It'd hurt her too much to know he was in pain when she was unable to help, and he was bound to get hurt if he tried fighting against gangs of guards. Regardless of how talented of a fighter he was, he'd never be able to defeat trained and armed guards, and then they'd take her away, preventing her from ever learning whether he got better or not. That fear and worry, she could only imagine, would swallow her whole. She wouldn't be able to handle it on her own. Wasn't he aware that he was the single most valuable thing to her in the whole world? Losing him would be unacceptable.

"I could ask you the same thing," he responded slowly.

"It's not the same! It doesn't matter if I die or get hurt! I don't care. I just want you to be all right!" Tohru blubbered to him.

"How can you say it doesn't matter if you die or get hurt? It matters to me, silly. I would never be able to live with myself if that were to happen."

"You don't love me as much as I love you."

She ran her face against her arms, drying her tears. Tohru peeked up at him, shocked to find a pained expression across his face. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion, not understanding his expression. Tohru didn't understand why he was even looking at her like that now. She didn't like that look though. It almost made her worry as much as she did when she learned of his cut. If he was upset because she was, which was usually the reason he got upset, he could just agree with her demands, and she'd be happy again, but he didn't seem to be willing to do that.

"Oh really? I'd beg to differ," Yuki challenged her, "You honestly think you love me more than I love you?"

Tohru ignored his questions.

"Promise me you won't come after me if someone comes to take me back. Promise me that you won't fight anyone that's trying to take me back, please?" Tohru insisted, balling her hands into fists.

"No…. Even if I promised you now, I'd never follow through with it. I love you too much to do either of those," Yuki refused calmly.

"Fine," Tohru muttered, flipping over and turning away from him.

Yuki wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back towards him. Tohru struggled in his arms, trying to get away in vain. She gave up after a minute but continued to squirm a little with occasional sounds of disapproval. Yuki slipped one arm out from under her, propping himself up a bit to catch a glimpse of her face. He stared at her forcibly unhappy expression, entertained by this. By the color creeping up her face, he could tell she'd forgive him soon enough if she truly was as angry as she tried to appear.

"Are you mad at me, Tohru?" he pried gently.

"No…." Tohru denied softly.

"Yes, you are. You're actually mad?" Yuki laughed in amazement.

"It's not amazing! You're the one who doesn't get upset!" Tohru shot back.

She pushed herself up, mimicking his sitting position. Seeing his own grin, she found it tempting to beam with him. Fighting a smile, she continued trying to be irked at him. Why couldn't he act reasonable for once? She was upset with him. He shouldn't be smiling at that and making it hard for her to remain infuriated. He gave her everything else she wanted, yet he wouldn't agree to this, the one thing she wanted most? Her lip quivered as she fought to uphold her composure. She wanted to cry. Tohru found herself pressed against his chest within a second, and she didn't even bother to break free. He was being cruel and unfair. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist his comforting arms.

"I'm sorry, Tohru…. Don't be mad at me… I love you. Don't do this to me…. I can't stand it when you're angry with me," Yuki breathed.

"Then promise me," Tohru mumbled.

"I can't, Tohru. I'd be lying to you."

"Then lie to me…." Tohru wept, "I'm so scared, Yuki-kun…."

"Don't be. Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I can defend myself just fine. It's you I'm worried about…. Everyone just loves to take you away from me," Yuki disagreed with a small smile.

Tohru squeezed him tightly, urging her tears to stop already. Yuki muttered appeasing words into her ear, alternating soothing sentences with gentle kisses on her cheek. His fingers traced comforting patterns across her arms as he attempted to hinder her tears. Yuki didn't understand why he was so much better at causing her tears rather than stop them, especially since he hated doing the first, but how could she expect him to cooperate with such an outrageous request? He was aware of the fact that she didn't believe he loved her, but he thought she, at least, knew he cared for her enough to never willingly go along with such a plea.

"Hush, Tohru. There's nothing to be afraid of…. I'll be with you forever. Don't you concern yourself with that changing."

"You can't guarantee that…" Tohru choked out.

He sighed, "You're right… I'm sorry… I really can't promise that I'll end up with you after all of this… I can't say for sure that we'll get married one day and have a big family, but that doesn't change the fact that I want that."

"I do too…"

Yuki leaned over and kissed her cheek, "I really have no right to tell you not to worry, but what good will wishing and dreading the future do? There's a chance that I'll never see you again after tonight, but why would I focus on that? It'd be like losing you more than once, and I don't think I can handle that. Once would probably be enough to kill…. But Tohru, do you see my point? Why are you focusing on the what ifs when you can think about now? Aren't you happy now? Wouldn't you rather focus on what we have now instead of what might happen later?"

"How can I be happy if I don't know what's going to happen to us?"

Uncertainty flowed through her body, coursing along with her blood and trailing behind her every thought. She hated it. Sometimes security was too much to ask for, a luxury too grand for even royalty. A future with Yuki wasn't something even a hundred guards could ensure for her. Only divinities had a role in that, but they were hardly generous with their distributions of happiness. Tohru knew she should be grateful for how long she had been able to see Yuki with their families being the worst of enemies, but it wasn't enough to sustain her. Yuki was her love, a necessity as vital as air to her at this point. She wouldn't be able to survive long without her prince.

"Nothing is going to happen to us. Nothing will change what we have. My heart will always be yours, and I'll never stop loving you, no matter what. Not in ten years, not in a hundred, regardless of where we end up. You'll always be in here," Yuki told her, placing his hand over his heart.

Tohru peered up at him, letting both of her hands join his. She was silent as she dragged her finger around his hand, tracing it on his chest. Leaning her forehead against the tower of their hands, she kept silent. Tohru wished she believed his words more than she did. She'd love to think that he'd remember her and love her until he died and possibly after that, but human memories weren't made to last that long. She'd continue to love him, of course. He wasn't very forgettable. He defied human logic. She doubted anyone could forget someone like him, no matter how brief the contact.

Their breathing was the only sound that rung in the air for a few minutes.

"Won't I always be in here?" he asked, moving his hand over to her heart.

She blushed instantly but nodded. She rested her hands over his hand, keeping it over her heart. She held it there gently, wary of the injury. For once, she wasn't bothered by the fact that he could tell how flustered she was at the moment by the sporadic beats of her erratic heart.

"Yes… Of course… But I don't think that's going to be enough. I know... You've given me more than enough memories, but it's not enough for me. I want more. I want you…" Tohru admitted softly, feeling a bit greedy.

"I am yours," he reassured her.

Tohru flashed him a weak smile, snuggling against him. He knew just the words that would ease her woes. She cocked her face upwards, letting him peck her lips quickly before she resumed her cuddling as he moved onto playing with her hair. Her wish for the day was forgotten as she accepted the fact that he'd never agree to it. There was no point in pushing it and driving them apart, and he did have a point. Assuming the worst for the future wasn't doing her any good. She beamed slightly, using his arm as a pillow as she shut her eyes, ready for slumber.

"I love you…"

His words had comforted her enough to let her sleep again, but in the morning, her thoughts of their separation returned almost instantly. She knew he was aware of what was whirling through her head as soon as he awoke, but his soothing statements ceased to be a source of relief any longer. She didn't understand how he could be so confident with the idea of them being together for the rest of their lives when she wasn't even positive that she'd see him again the next day. She loved him, and forever hardly sounded adequate enough for her, but she couldn't be guaranteed that she'd even get that eternity with him. Both their families were searching for the two of them, eager to bring them back to their future spouses.

She was too distracted to keep him much company through breakfast, but he didn't complain. Tohru didn't say much up until he led her to the lobby where they separated for their tasks. Tohru, still worried about his injury, refused to let him do anything but sit by Uo and help her sort papers. Yuki grudgingly agreed, seeing as there wasn't much else for Tohru to do after their cleaning from yesterday. She was only left to experiment with the vacuum today, something she had not had the honor of trying before.

It didn't take her more than an hour to shove the vacuum all around the hallways, and she was back by Yuki as soon as she had stuffed the device back into the closet. She immediately took a seat beside him resting her head on his shoulder as he continued placing different bills into neat piles. He didn't say anything to her, respecting her fondness for silence at the moment. Yuki simply wrapped one of his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead before going back to his sorting. Tohru felt a bit cheered by his gesture, but the end just seemed near, and she couldn't stop her depression.

She didn't know what she would do when he wasn't there with her anymore.

She could have cried at the moment, despite how fretful that would have made Yuki, but luckily, her distraction came in the form of the blonde woman seated at her left, who was aching for a better story than those printed in her magazine. Clearly expecting a long story, she set down the booklet she had been skimming and turned towards Tohru, propping her head up with her arm before starting her interrogations.

"So Tohru… How did you meet Yuki?" Uo started.

"Oh… That's a long story… We met a year ago when he saved my life," Tohru responded with a faint smile.

"So it was love at first sight?"

Tohru responded with a bright red face. She was too embarrassed to say anything. This was the second time someone had told her that. By now, she had been with Yuki long enough to know she did love him back then. Granted, it hardly compared to how much she loved him now, but the affection was definitely love. It baffled her. There was no such thing as falling in love with someone at first sight, but what could explain the instant attraction she felt? Tohru looked down timidly, making Yuki smile.

"Umm… Do you love someone, Uo-chan?" Tohru asked, switching the topic away from her and Yuki.

"I have a boyfriend. His name is Kureno. He owns this place. And he, by the way, would like to speak to you about the supposed break in last night," Uo added the last part to Yuki.

"Where is he?" Yuki asked.

"Somewhere in the back resolving some issue about a busted hot water pipe in someone's apartment. He should come here within half an hour. Feel free to wait here and finish sorting those bills, but I think I'm going to take Tohru along with me to the spa. She looks like she needs some relaxation," Uo grinned as she tugged Tohru away from Yuki.

"She does," Yuki agreed quickly.

"B-But!" Tohru began to protest, but no one was listening to her.

Yuki cheerfully waved to her after slipping a few bills from his pocket into Uo's palm to pay for Tohru. Tohru reluctantly allowed Uo to take her to the spa, although Uo was forced to drag the brunette along into the car and then into the building. As relaxing as a massage usually tended to be, it was no surprise to Uo that all of Tohru's woes seemed to have disappeared by the time they were exiting. With her anxiety carefully packed into the back of her mind, Tohru was grinning and bouncing into the car as they returned back, acting like her normal self.

When they got back to the apartment complex, Tohru got in just in time to see a man with brownish red hair exiting the lobby and clamoring down the corridor towards the back of the room. Tohru could only assume the man was Kureno, Uo's boyfriend, seeing as she caught a brief glimpse through the window of him talking to Yuki with a grave expression. She imagined Kureno would be the only person who had something to say to Yuki with that kind of face with them having to discuss the break-in.

She couldn't identify Yuki's emotions with his back turned to her, but as soon as she stepped through the entrance, he turned to face her, as if he knew it was her who was entering. Whatever he was feeling a minute ago was instantly concealed with a bright smile. Tohru couldn't tell if he was genuinely pleased with her return or if he was trying to hide something from her with one of those smiles that made her thoughts turn into mush. Either way, she was too cheerful to care to fuss over the motives behind the upward turn of his lips. Tohru just happily sank into his arms.

"How was your day?" he asked simply.

"It went really well! Thank you! Yuki-kun, you should have come! Talking about a break-in couldn't have been very fun," Tohru pointed out with a small frown.

"Well, someone had to do it."

His words hardly registered in her mind. Tohru placed her hand on his cheek, looking into his grey eyes worriedly. She cocked her head from side to side, examining his face. Her eyebrows furrowed with concern. She couldn't place her finger on it, but something didn't seem right to her. Yuki peered back at her innocently before finding a loose lock of her hair and gave it a gentle tug. Tohru swatted his hand away with a smile. He seemed to enjoy making her hair look like a disaster. Yuki beamed at her as he reached up to brush the side of her face with the tips of his fingers. His soft touch sent shivers down her back as he put both of his hands on her shoulders.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" he inquired.

"No… You just look pale. Is something wrong?" Tohru asked.

"Nothing is wrong. It was just a surprise to find out that Uotani-san's boyfriend, Kureno, is a Sohma."

"A Sohma? So he's part of your family?"

Tohru stared at him incredulously. That didn't sound like good news at all. She couldn't recall Yuki mentioning a Kureno from his family though, so she wasn't sure what to make of the fact that he now knew that she and Yuki were here. She hoped he was a good member of his family that Yuki had forgotten to mention to her yesterday. Tohru didn't want this Kureno to inform either of their families of where they were and ruin the little arrangement they had.

"Yes. He's a cousin of mine that I was not very close with. I only really recall him leaving a couple of years ago… Don't worry though. He won't tell anyone…" he reassured her before she could even ask.

Uo, not having run all the way from the car to the hotel like Tohru, just entered the apartment now. Already, she was used to the affection between the two. It didn't shock her in the least bit to find them embracing in the middle of the lobby, although her appearance did humiliate Tohru, who took a step away from Yuki to his displeasure. She slipped her hand into his, trying to make up for her retreat, but it didn't seem to have any effect other than making him use it as a means to tug her back towards him.

Uo casually strode over to them, "So how did you like Kureno?"

"Actually… I already knew him," Yuki shrugged indifferently, "He used to live by me."

"Really? Small world," Uo commented.

Yuki nodded in agreement, noting that Uo didn't seem to know where it was that Kureno used to live. He didn't feel obligated to inform her that where he and Kureno came from was a palace though, seeing as that was Kureno's business and not his, but he did feel a need to drag Tohru back to their apartment and actually spend some time with her today. He and Tohru were about to return to their own apartment, but they were stopped by the entrance of an all too familiar brunette man. It was none other than their _friend _from their train. Yuki groaned at the sight.

"Yoohoo!" Manabe called in an energetic voice, prancing over to Tohru and Yuki.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" Yuki demanded instantly, "Are you following us or something?"

"Yep. But I got lost," Manabe nodded matter-of-factly.

"May I ask _why_ you are following us?"

"Sure. I'm doing it because those are my orders from the commander," Manabe answered.

"Commander?"

Yuki was growing more confused by the second. First, the guy admits to be stalking them, now he brings up a commander who's ordering him to do this? Did this guy even have a steady train of thought? He kept hopping from one subject to another, and Manabe now had his attention focused on Tohru. He had her tiny hand gripped in his, about to plant a kiss on her pale skin, but Yuki yanked Tohru away from Manabe before he could. He didn't like this Manabe creature from the beginning, but Yuki liked him less now that he had just tried to kiss Tohru.

"Don't touch her!" Yuki snapped, holding Tohru against his chest protectively.

Tohru flushed, clutching Yuki tightly as her feet dangled in the air.

"You're possessive, aren't you?" Manabe teased.

His words made Tohru cheeks darken further. She felt the blood rush to her face as Yuki moved her to his other side, keeping himself between her and Manabe. Tohru embraced Yuki tightly, hoping to calm him down in attempt to prevent a violent outbreak. She was positive that Yuki would willingly injure Manabe until he couldn't move at the moment. She could tell Yuki had already lost his patience with Manabe, but she found it odd how he could be glaring at Manabe with so malevolence, yet hold her so gingerly at the same time. Yuki brushed her actions off as fear, making her sigh.

"Who is the commander, and why did he send you here?" Yuki hissed through gritted teeth.

"The commander? He's Yun Yun's brother! Him and Tohru's brother told me to come here to help your relationship," Manabe replied.

"Niisan? He did this? Remind me to kill my brother later…." Yuki muttered in an offhand tone.

"Kill brother later. I'll be sure to remind you," Hana whispered, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

Tohru squawked out of fright as Yuki flinched. Manabe seemed to jump a couple of feet with an expression of downright terror which made Yuki laugh despite his anger at the moment. Tohru was glad she wasn't the only one who had been evidently scared. She loosened her grip around Yuki's neck, stopping her chokehold. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to Hana's mysterious appearances. She frowned apologetically at Yuki as she noticed the red ring around his neck. Yuki shook his head at Tohru with a smile before turning back towards Manabe.

"Whatever. We don't need your help. Our relationship is just fine," Yuki muttered as he walked off with Tohru still lifted in his arms.

Manabe chased after them, "But you do! I bet you two haven't even done it yet!"

"That's none of your business," Yuki retorted coolly.

The brunette man made a displeased face, grunting, "If you live in the same place, sleep in the same bed, and still haven't done anything, you do need my help!"

"Is that so? Well, I still don't think so," Yuki muttered as he stepped through the door, waving with a smile as he shut the door in Manabe's face.

Tohru's face was an unhealthy shade of red as Yuki set her down on the floor. She wasn't sure if she was more humiliated or fretful. She didn't like hearing that there was something wrong with the relationship she had with Yuki. Manabe hadn't even known them for more than a couple of days, and if he could already see something that wasn't right about her bond with Yuki, maybe there really was a problem. She personally liked what they had, but what about how Yuki felt?

"Yuki, is there really something wrong with our relationship?" Tohru whispered frantically.

"Of course not. Like I said, our relationship is just fine... Unless you think there is something wrong with it," Yuki raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Tohru shook her head, "No, no! I don't! But I-I just want it to be more than _fine_… I w-want you to l-like it too…"

"I do. Don't be ridiculous. I love what we have. I love being with you. I love _you_," he reminded her.

Tohru flushed, but she wasn't fully convinced by those words even if his voice was coated with genuine honesty. She peered up at him uneasily. There was nothing special about her. Why would Yuki cherish what they had so much? She was just another overly shy girl who blushed at every romantic gesture, but he loved her regardless, and for that, she'd be forever grateful to that driver who had almost killed her with his broken brakes. If it weren't for him, she would have never gotten the chance to meet Yuki, and a life without Yuki wouldn't be much of a life at all, so she was determined to keep Yuki content. She never wanted him to have a reason to break up with her.

"So you don't mind if we go slower than everyone else?" Tohru whispered.

"Not at all. I know you're still a bit afraid because of _him_," Yuki smiled at her.

"Th-That's not an excuse anymore! That was m-months ago!" Tohru stammered.

"You don't get over things like that so quickly, Tohru. Don't be absurd," Yuki muttered.

"I'm not being absurd. It wasn't that serious," Tohru insisted, folding her arms across her chest.

"So you wouldn't mind having another guy you hardly know kiss you right now?" Yuki questioned in an unintentionally sharp voice.

Tohru's mouth dropped open to respond, but she had no words to say. She vehemently shook her head back and forth for a minute, denying what he said. She hadn't meant to give him the impression that she wanted to share a kiss with another random man. She didn't want any other guy to kiss her. Only Yuki. Tohru only stopped shaking her head when she started to get dizzy and almost fell over. Tohru gazed up at him helplessly, begging him to understand, but he just stared back at her, waiting for her to say something.

"N-No! That's not what I meant!" Tohru squealed.

"Then what _do_ you mean?"

"I'm s-sorry, Yuki-kun… I d-didn't mean to m-make you m-mad…. P-Please forgive me?" Tohru pled.

Five minutes ago, she would have admitted she wanted him to get angry with her. At least once. It wasn't normal to be this calm. She hated the fact that she was the only one who had ever felt ill feelings towards the other. She regretted having that desire now. It made her feel miserable to see his anger directed towards her. Her eyes were already misty with tears, blinding her with a watery veil, so she didn't see his arms shoot out and wrap around her, pulling her towards him.

"Shh… I'm not mad at you…." Yuki whispered to her.

"Y-You were…" Tohru whimpered.

"Never," he denied.

"B-But… Fighting… We were… I-I mean… We were fighting," Tohru stuttered.

Yuki shook his head with a smile, planting a kiss on the side of his head. He felt guilty about making her cry. In twenty four hours, he had made her weep a ridiculous amount. He wouldn't have pushed the issue if he knew it'd make her cry. He had only meant to convince her that there was nothing wrong with the pace of their physical relationship. He shouldn't have brought up her near rape situation. He could have perfectly reassured her by insulting Manabe's intelligence. Who was Manabe to say how their relationship should be anyways?

"No… We were disagreeing over how serious your situation with Akito was."

"It's the same thing."

"I wasn't mad at you," Yuki repeated firmly.

Tohru didn't say anything, simply clinging to him. She wasn't sure she liked this very much. They had never fought before. They had always agreed on almost everything before. The air of tranquility that surrounded them was never broken, not by him at least. She had yelled at him and slapped him before, of course, but never had he raised his voice towards her until now. She didn't like the sound. Regardless, she knew it'd be unfair to request that he never get angry with her if she allowed herself to snap at him and even hit him. He had yet to raise his hand against her, and even now, she could hardly consider his words shouting. If she hadn't known his voice so well, she wouldn't have even noticed it had been raised a decibel.

"I don't like arguing," Tohru murmured.

"It's perfectly normal to disagree every once in a while. You can't expect us to agree on everything, can you?"

"No… But-"

"No buts. If we fight, then we fight. Don't worry about it. We'll make up in the end, I guarantee it, or I'd just give in and agree with you," Yuki assured her.

"Why would you do that?" Tohru asked, baffled.

"Because I hate to see you upset," he stated simply with a shrug, "So smile for me."

He released her, placing both of his hands on her face and pushing the ends of her mouth upwards with his thumbs. Tohru grinned, giggling cheerfully. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. She knew he thought he was especially skilled at bringing about her tears, but she thought he was better at making her smile. He beamed back at her, letting his hands slide off her face. This is what he preferred. Her laugh. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his entire life. It made Beethoven's compositions sound like failures rather than great musical sympathies.

"I love you."

"I know, you remind me everyday, but you never seem to want to believe that I love you more," Yuki mused.

"That's because you don't," Tohru shook her head, still beaming.

"Looks like someone's in denial," Yuki laughed.

"I am not!"

"I love you, Tohru," Yuki smiled, bringing her face to his.

"D-Don't change the subject-"

The rest of her sentence was cut off by his lips crashing against hers. Their brief argument –if that's what it could even be considered as-over who loved the other more was immediately disregarded as she pressed her lips against his. Forget being good at making her cry or at cheering her up, he was especially gifted at distracting her. She got on the tips of her toes, completely consumed by the fiery kiss. He was cheating, making her thoughts jumble together like this. He chuckled after breaking the contact.

"What was that you were saying?" Yuki inquired politely.

She stared blankly at him, having forgotten even saying anything.

"What?"

He laughed to himself, "Never mind. Just know I really do love you more than you possibly could ever love me."

Tohru gasped and shook her head again, "Y-You do not!"


	32. Illogical Actions

Tohru folded her arms across her chest, "Why do we have to celebrate my birthday?"

"Because you're turning eighteen and because I love you," Yuki responded calmly.

"I don't want a party!" Tohru wailed in exasperation.

"Tohru, you're being incredibly unfair. Let me at least do one thing for your birthday, please?"

"_You're _not being fair! How much money have you spent on me already?"

Tohru paused for a second before adding, "Never mind! Don't tell me! I don't want to know!"

Taking a glance at the bracelet dangling on her wrist, she grimaced, imagining the price in her head already. There were nine little charms, each holding a diamond in the center. Added to that, the bracelet was made out of gold. As much as she adored her bracelet, she wasn't very fond of his spending money on her. They were living on their own now, paying their own bills and buying their own necessities. There was no need to waste the finite amount of money they had on something as trivial as a birthday party that she didn't even want.

Yuki rolled his eyes, "Please, Tohru? Why can't I spend money on the person I love most?"

"Because I don't want you to!" Tohru cried.

"But what about what I want to do?"

"You can live without giving me a birthday party and without buying me presents."

"Like you can live with my buying you a present and giving you a party?" Yuki pointed out.

He couldn't figure out why she was protesting against the idea of a party with presents. Her birthday was the only date he bothered to remember anyways. Why shouldn't he get to throw her a party? Any other girl her age would be asking for a celebration rather than refusing to have one. However, Tohru was an exception to most generalizations, so he guessed he shouldn't have been surprised. Yuki wouldn't have even consulted her about her party if he didn't know she'd throw a fit if she walked inside one day and they jumped out, screaming surprise and bearing gifts and cake. She wasn't very fond of fancy gifts, despite the fact she had probably been spoiled with them since her birth.  
"No I can't! No presents and no party!" Tohru insisted.

"If I don't buy you a present, can I please throw you a party? You like parties," he reminded her.

"Y-Yuki! S-Stop it! I don't want a party or a present!"

"Fine. I'll stop. But just so you know, I'm not going to listen to you then," he warned.

"No! Don't! Please? Yuki-kun, please? For me?" Tohru begged.

Tohru climbed onto his lap, shaking her head solemnly. She laid her head on his shoulder with a frown, wrapping her arms around his midriff loosely. Yuki sighed and slid his arms around her back to keep her from falling. He was well aware of her balance skills, and as much as he wanted her arguments to terminate, he didn't want the disagreement to end with her toppling off of him and hitting her head. Yuki waited a few minutes before he responded, knowing if he said something too quickly, she'd wind up crying and assuming he didn't love her anymore.

"You're getting one or the other. Present or party?"

Tohru remained quiet, shaking her head in refusal.

"Tohru, be reasonable."

Yuki didn't understand why she was making such a fuss over what he wanted to do for her birthday. It was just a party, and it wasn't like they were short of money or anything like that. They weren't poor, and her birthday was a special occasion after all. Either way, she should have known better than to argue over this subject. She'd give in before he did. He wasn't planning on caving in until he got at least permission for at least a party or a gift. After all, he was being nice enough to drop one. She didn't seem satisfied with his offer though, but he wasn't willing to do absolutely nothing for her birthday.

"…Party…" Tohru murmured reluctantly, hoping he wouldn't hear.

"Party it is then."

Tohru sulked. She spun around and slid down his legs, landing on the floor with a plop. She sat there with a frown, not looking his way when he got off the bed and joined her on the floor. She had her arms crossed over her chest and an upset expression that she was hoping would make him feel guilty enough to choose to let her have her way, but he only laughed at her. He knew her well enough to know that even though she wasn't pleased now, she'd cheer up considerably at the party. She'd complain up until her birthday, but he knew she'd enjoy it in the end.

"Do you think I'm really that bad at planning parties? I promise it'll be full of things you love."

"Then why can't we just stay here and do nothing? My birthday would still be filled with who I love most. I don't need a party! I just want to stay with you!"

"You get both. No more complaining, please."

"I'm not complaining."

"So no more pouting?"

"Are you going to drop the party?" Tohru asked hopefully.

She cocked her head to the side, peering at him. She had been praying he'd drop the subject and give in to her demands, but as soon as she saw the smirk on his face, she knew she wouldn't be so lucky. At least her efforts hadn't been completely wasted. She had gotten him to agree to her no presents policy. He could be so stubborn over the silliest matters. She couldn't figure out why having a birthday party for her mattered so much to him, especially since she wasn't even asking him for one.

"No," he replied simply.

"Then no."

"You're so much more quarrelsome nowadays…" Yuki sighed, "I thought you didn't like arguing."

"And I thought you said you'd agree with me if we didn't resolve the issue!"

"But we already did. You agreed to let me throw you a party. Besides, you look adorable when you're arguing."

Tohru ignored his cajolery. He was trying to distract her, to get her off the subject, but she wasn't going to let him win so easily. As long as she kept her eyes off of him, keeping her head clear wasn't too difficult a task, but he loved to make things like that extremely difficult. It was unintentional, she was sure, but even without looking, she knew he was staring at her, and that made it very difficult to concentrate. His holding her hand wasn't helping very much either. She huffed, sucking in a deep breath a bit exasperatedly.

"I take it back then! No party! No gifts!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Nice try, Tohru. Now you get both," he grinned at her.

"No, no, no! Yuki-kun!" Tohru wailed helplessly.

"Party then?"

Tohru frowned, sighing as she gave up on arguing. It was impossible to get her way when he was this determined. He was better at everything than her –with the exception of cooking. Of course he'd be more persuasive than she was. She should have known not to get her hopes up over convincing him to forget her birthday. As soon as he saw her nod, she saw him grin out of the corner of her eye. Normally, just that simple gesture would have been enough to bring about a matching smile from her, but Tohru was still struggling to coax him into dropping the party as well. Yuki hated her anguish more than anything else, meaning her frowns were the best weapons she had in her possession.

"You like parties. Why are you upset?" Yuki inquired worriedly.

"I don't want you to waste money on my birthday. Please, Yuki? Let's just stay home?"

"Okay," he agreed, "We can stay home and have your party here."

"Yuki! That's not what I meant!"

"I know, but let's pretend that's what you meant."

"Do we have to celebrate my birthday?"

She knew the answer she'd receive would be an affirmation before the last couple of words had drifted out of her mouth. It was an unnecessary question to even ask, but there was that infinitesimal chance that he may just give her what she wanted and agree to stay home with her for her birthday. She didn't see anything wrong with spending her birthday with him and not telling any one else that she was a year older, since her favorite thing to do was spend time with him anyways, but apparently he did, and whatever he disliked about not having a party was enough to make him disregard her pleas.

"Yes."

"Then promise not to spend a lot on it, please," Tohru pleaded.

"It'll be a commoner's party. Happy now?"

"A little."

He shook his head at her, slipping his arm around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder for a brief moment before tilting his head back and pressing his lips against the base of her neck. Within a second, he could see trails of red begin creeping down her neck. Yuki grinned. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to her blushes. Considering how adorable he found the red tint to her skin, they never ceased to amuse him despite the misery she claimed the red coloring brought her.

"Be happy. I love you, and you like parties. It'll be fun, I promise," he reassured her.

"I love you too… No presents though!"

"Why am I not allowed to get you a birthday present exactly? I didn't forbid you from getting me gifts, so why are you ordering me not to get you a present for your birthday?"

"I already got a gift from you! You gave me a gift on _your _birthday! That's why! Y-You already agreed, so d-don't ask any more questions, please."

Yuki chuckled softly, shifting her onto his legs and holding her against his chest. Tohru let out a deep breath, settling into his arms. There had been a point in their relationship when they never disagreed about anything. Everything just revolved around pure bliss and the flare of their seemingly boundless love for one another. She missed those times, unlike Yuki who insisted a little conflict every once in a while was good for them. She agreed with him to an extent, but how could something that made her not like him, even for a second, possibly be good?

"I only agreed because you refused to let me throw you a birthday party otherwise."

"S-Still. You agreed. No gifts. Just a party is good enough for me."

"Fine. Then you can't complain at all about your party."

"N-No! You're not spending a lot of money on a silly p-party!"

"You're not letting me buy you a present, so I get to do whatever I want with your party," Yuki smiled slyly.

Tohru shot up, breaking out of his embrace with a distressed expression. He hooked around the waist with his arms, quickly drawing her back towards him. Yuki held her against his chest and cradled her like a child, allowing her to sit on his crossed legs and supporting her with an arm behind her back and one beneath her knees. She squealed, giggling as he brushed his fingers across her belly. Tohru swatted at his hands lightly, fighting to get him to stop tickling her, but he continued, making her burst into hysterics and forget her fears. Her flailing about did, however, get him to stop when she nearly kicked over a lamp. She flushed madly as he kept a secure arm over her legs.

He laughed, "Don't worry, I already promised it'd be a commoner's party."

---

Tohru sat on her bed between Uo and Hana, staring absently at the blaring television screen but not seeing the movie that was playing. She couldn't concentrate on the video even if it had captured her interest half an hour ago. Her thoughts kept wandering back to Yuki. He should have been home by now. She didn't like how long it was taking him to return. Uo had sent him out on an errand to fetch a duplicate of a tenant's key over an hour ago. She was worried now as she glanced out the window at the dark night sky. She frowned with concern as another bolt of lightening lit up the darkness, and a roar of thunder made her jump.

He had walked to the key shop. She hoped he had found a dry place to wait out the storm. She couldn't even see very well through the thick pellets of rain. He had to be cold. She had made an attempt to leave to search for him, but Uo and Hana had been given instructions from Yuki not to let her do so. Apparently, everyone else knew there was supposed to be a big storm except for her. As she thought over it, that was probably why Yuki had refused to let her come along.

She could hardly remain sitting as she waited to hear the front door open. Nobody needed a spare key this desperately. Yuki should be here, safe in her arms, but he wasn't. Tohru moved on from biting her bottom lip to chewing on the tips of her fingernails. Periodically glancing out the window and at her bedroom door, she anxiously waited for his return. Another ten minutes passed before the rain began to dwindle down to a thin drizzle. This didn't provide her with much comfort. It was still dark out and Yuki hadn't returned yet.

Her heart froze when she heard footsteps clamoring down the hallways, a sound no one else in the room heard but her. She gasped excitedly and jumped off the bed, racing out of the room before anyone could stop her. The thought that it could be someone other than Yuki hadn't crossed her mind until after she had swung open the door and saw an older woman entering the apartment across the hallway from her. Her heart sank to the pits of her chest as she stepped back inside and shut the door. Lovelorn, she sank onto the ground, tears dripping down her face. She sniffled, her whole body racking with sobs.

Worry had settled itself in the back of her head, constantly gnawing at her thoughts. She couldn't recall the last day that had passed without concern. There were too many things to fuss over. Anyone in the right frame of mind would fret if he knew hundreds of people were looking for him, or possibly even more. Any one of those people searching for them could stumble upon this small town in any minute and find them. Yuki wandering around in town made it that much easier for someone to spot him, making her level of worry rise to unstable levels. He always told her that her worrying was unnecessary, but trying not to become concerned when he wasn't around proved to be an extremely difficult task.

"Hey, why are you crying?" she heard a gentle voice ask her.

Before Hana or Uo could even enter the room and question her about her tears, Yuki had returned without her noticing and had her cradled against his wet chest. Her arms shot out around his back as she pressed herself against him, despite his sopping clothes. She didn't release him, not when he nearly fell over nor when Uo and Hana entered. She couldn't release him. She wasn't sure why. It could be due to that fact that her arms were now numb due to the cold, drenched clothes he was in or because she couldn't bring herself to.

"Yuki… I was so worried."

"There was nothing to fret over, my love."

"T-Then why didn't y-you let me come with you?" Tohru stuttered.

"Because you're afraid of thunder and lightening, you don't like the rain, and you're scared of the dark," Yuki answered bluntly.

Tohru shook her head. Such trivial matters shouldn't have been enough to make him force her to stay at home when she wanted to do nothing but remain at his side. Lightning, thunder, and the dark together wouldn't have been terrifying with Yuki around. Hadn't he taught her how needless being frightened was when he was around? It was unbearable not to be able to contact him. How could he be so cruel as to leave his cell phone at home instead of bringing it with him? He knew how it bothered her to be left in the dark.

"I would have been all right with you," she murmured.

"Yes, I know, but I'd rather you not be sick on your birthday," Yuki told her.

Her lips instantly turned downward at the mention of that day, and her frown deepened when she realized Uo and Hana had heard Yuki's comment.

"Your birthday is coming up, Tohru?" Uo inquired.

Yuki didn't let Tohru respond and deny the fact, "Yes, it is, and she'd like it very much if you two came to her birthday party on Saturday."

"There is no party!" Tohru cried.

"Yes there is. You agreed to it already," Yuki disagreed.

Tohru jutted her bottom lip out in unhappiness. Yuki disregarded her expression, drawing her back into his arms. Tohru pressed her face against his wet shirt, disregarding how cold she was at the moment. She'd rather not watch them discuss a party she'd rather not have. Tohru sighed, leaning against him and burying her head between his arm and chest in attempt to cover her ears and muffle their speaking. She was afraid that if she heard anything about this party, she'd be too terrified to show up, but she knew she had to, or he'd be upset, and that was the last thing she wanted.

"Saturday at noon," Yuki announced to them.

"We'll be there then. Need any help?"

"Sure. You can distract Tohru and take her somewhere while I prepare?" Yuki suggested.

"You're going to set up a party by yourself? That'll take all morning. I'll help you. Hana will take Tohru shopping," Uo decided.

"If you don't mind. Thank you," Yuki replied with a smile.

Tohru peeled her face off his chest, unable to stop herself from adding a comment at this point. A party was bad, a party with her friends made her feel worse, the fact that he planned on decorating made her feel downright miserable. She didn't want the burden of seeking out a gift for her added to his list of things to do. Tohru was aware that she troubled him enough as it was with her constant unease and worry. She knew he didn't like her to be concerned about what was to become of them, but she couldn't stop fussing over how many days were left to their relationship until their families discovered them. She also knew he had agreed not to get her a present, but he tended to ignore commands like the one she had given him.

"No presents!" Tohru declared, peering directly at Yuki as she said this.

"Yes, love. I didn't forget," he whispered to her before looking up at Uo and Hana, "We aren't allowed to buy her any gifts."

"What?! Why not?!" Uo demanded, outraged.

"Because those are her requirements. No presents or I can't give her a party," Yuki shrugged.

Uo didn't seem willing to accept the answer, but she kept quiet. She wouldn't argue with her new friends over the no presents rule they had in place. She had no right to force a birthday girl to accept gifts. Normally, she would have suspected that Tohru was just being selfless and that she should just buy her a present anyways, but Yuki seemed serious when he told him no presents were allowed, and if anyone knew what Tohru really wanted, he did.

Tohru looked up suspiciously after moments of silence. She peeked behind herself, peering at Uo and Hana for a second before turning back to Yuki, checking to see if he had given them any tacit messages when she hadn't been looking. Satisfied with their innocent enough expressions, she released Yuki from her death grip and seated herself on the floor beside him. She shivered, cold already from hugging him when he was soaking wet. If she was this frigid, she could only imagine how he felt sitting there in wet clothes just to comfort her.

"Yuki-kun, you're wet and cold," Tohru whimpered.

"You are too. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hugged you," Yuki apologized.

"Go shower. You're going to get sick," Tohru ordered worriedly.

"Change your clothes first," Yuki insisted

He pulled her to her feet and gave her a gentle shove towards their bedroom. She reluctantly complied, rushing to her room to dig out her pajamas to change into. Tohru quickly slipped into the fuzzy pink bottoms and soft, matching top before hurrying out and ushering Yuki inside after shoving an outfit into his arms for him to change into afterwards. Tohru relaxed after hearing the shower start. She retreated back into her bedroom with Uo and Hana, settling back down and going back to watching the movie.

Yuki returned fifteen minutes later with a white towel around his neck and wearing the gray sweatpants and black t-shirt Tohru had given him. He sauntered over to Tohru, settling down in front of where she was seated by the edge of the bed. Tohru took the towel from him and started rubbing it over his head, drying his hair for him. He leaned against the bed, staring up at her quizzically as Tohru scooted forward, letting him rest his head on her lap.

"If you leave your hair wet, you'll catch a cold for sure," Tohru murmured with a caring smile.

Yuki returned her smile before asking, "What are you doing?"

"Watching a movie! It's about a girl and boy who fall in love, but their parents won't allow it," Tohru explained excitedly.

"Oh. Is that so?" Yuki asked in an uninterested voice.

"What? What's wrong with that? Guys can like the movie too! I mean he's watching it," Uo added, gesturing to the other side of the bed.

Hearing the reference to him, Manabe sat up instantly from his lying position on the floor behind the bed, where Yuki had been unable to see him. Yuki's expression darkened, and his smile flattened when he saw Manabe grin and wave to him. Yuki narrowed his eyes and glared at the brunette male, recalling how Manabe had upset Tohru not too long ago with that complaint of his about the normality of their relationship. If Tohru wasn't so against violence, Yuki was sure he would have pummeled Manabe as soon as saw him and would have thrown him out by now.

"Why are you here?" Yuki demanded coldly in response.

"This is my favorite movie! How could I miss it? Besides, Tohru-kun invited me inside to watch it!" Manabe replied.

"Go watch it in your own home!" Yuki snapped impatiently.

"But it's no fun to watch alone!" Manabe whined.

"Then don't watch it at all," Yuki retorted.

"But it's my favorite movie!" Manabe repeated.

"And I don't care," Yuki muttered.

Tohru suppressed a smile as she listened to the growing argument. She let out a soft giggle as she fingered Yuki's wet hair, coaxing him to drop the quarrel wordlessly. He silenced for her sake and settled back against the bed. Tohru leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulders with a smile. She leaned her head against his and kissed his cheek, his reward for not fighting with Manabe. He sighed, lifting his hands to grasp her wrists. Yuki slid his fingers down, holding onto her fingers gingerly.

Tohru giggled, "It's okay, Yuki-kun. The movie is almost over."

Yuki nodded, wondering how long almost would take, but he chose not to voice his question. Releasing her hands so she could sit back upright and continue watching the movie, he sat there, drumming his fingers on the carpet and waiting for the movie to end as Tohru continued drying his hair. He could endure Manabe until the end of the movie as long as Manabe kept his mouth shut. Even though Manabe had been quiet for the last few minutes, Yuki kept one hand in a fist, ready to beat Manabe if he ever said anything that made Tohru cry again. He knew the silence wouldn't last for much longer, and he was correct. Five seconds later, Manabe's mouth opened.

"Tohru-kun, I want a drink!" Manabe whined.

"Okay! I'll go get you something to drink," Tohru offered.

Tohru slid off the bed and skipped off to the kitchen, happily humming a tune. She returned shortly holding a cold drink in her hand for Manabe. He took the beverage, gulping it down greedily without a single word of appreciation. Tohru didn't seem to mind as she climbed back onto the bed and sliding her legs back under Yuki's head. Yuki glared at Manabe for not thanking Tohru but chose not to comment yet. He'd appease to Tohru's wish for peace for as long as he could manage, but only another ten minutes passed before Manabe was ready to request for something else.

"Can I have more?"

Tohru smiled and nodded, happily complying. She left before Yuki could stop her and make Manabe go himself. Yuki glowered at Manabe. His body moved before he managed to restrain himself, and Manabe's collar was wrenched inside his fist within a second. Yuki pulled Manabe's face dangerously close as he narrowed his eyes, now a venomously, dark shade of gray replacing the normally light silver. Nobody should treat Tohru like a slave, especially not when he was around. He was barely resisting the urge to punch Manabe repeatedly.

"Don't ask her to work like that," Yuki hissed at him.

"She's not complaining!" Manabe pointed out.

"That's because she doesn't complain _ever_!" Yuki responded sharply.

"Fine! I'll go help her!" Manabe exclaimed.

Manabe squirmed in Yuki's grasp until Yuki released his grip, letting Manabe fall back onto his bottom. Manabe made a whimpering sound before darting out of the room. He slid into the kitchen quickly, nearly crashing into the counter as he made his way to where Tohru stood in front of the refrigerator. Absorbed in her own world, she didn't notice Manabe coming towards her until after she shut the refrigerator and turned around, and in shock, Tohru squeaked, nearly dropping the glass when Manabe skidded to a stop before her.

"I'm supposed to help you," Manabe announced as Tohru took a minute to regain her breath.

"Oh! You didn't have to. I'm done," Tohru smiled, handing him the drink.

"Thank you," Manabe replied after taking a sip.

"You're welcome…" Tohru trailed off before adding, "Manabe-san, do you not like Yuki-kun?"

He was silent, stepping back into the bedroom before answering, "It's not that I don't like him! I just like to tease him once in a while!"

"Once in a while?" Uo laughed, picking up on who Manabe was referring to quickly.

Manabe nodded his head with an innocent look which made Uo burst into hysterics. Tohru just smiled, not fully sure what was so funny to Uo. Like Uo, Yuki was well aware that Manabe was referring to him, but he chose to keep his death wishes unspoken. Turning to Tohru with a smile, Yuki beckoned her back over towards him. Tohru obliged, rushing over to him and seating herself back behind him. After a few minutes, Uo repositioned herself, a serious look on her face.

"So how long have you three known each other?" Uo asked.

"Since the day we moved here," Yuki answered.

"Really? You would think you three were more closely acquainted."

"Well I guess you're partially correct! Yun Yun's old fiancée is my sister!" Manabe admitted with a sly smile.

"Machi-chan?" Tohru piped in, happy to finally have something to contribute.

Manabe's face dropped with disappointment. He hadn't thought Tohru would know about Machi. It would have been entertaining to watch the quarrel and make up afterwards. He frowned disappointedly before Yuki turned to him with a cold smile, but Manabe ignored the malicious intent looming behind Yuki's eyes. Yuki was angry at the careless mention of such a sensitive subject, but Tohru was smiling. She was glad to learn that Yuki did confide in her more than she had thought. Tohru couldn't even think about how she would have reacted if he hadn't told her.

"You knew? Yun Yun told you? Honestly?!" Manabe asked in shock.

"Of course. What do you think? Are you trying to break us up now?" Yuki snapped.

"Of course not!" Manabe denied.

"Then why bring that up? Besides, you can't be related to Kuragi-san… She's too quiet, and you're too obnoxious," Yuki said.

"But I'm her big half brother! We have the same father but different mothers! They don't like me too much though," Manabe went on.

"Figures," Yuki mumbled.

Uo, who had somehow managed to remain quiet for the past few minutes since the mention of Yuki's prior engagement, could no longer keep her shock to herself. Frantically, she shifted her gaze from everyone's face, unable to understand why she seemed to be the only one bothered by this fact. Hana was expressionless as usual, but that was her normal attitude. What Uo found unbelievable was how Tohru, Yuki's current girlfriend, could be smiling after an allusion to his old fiancée. It wasn't normal, even for someone who was as cheerful as she was. The fact that each one of them was peering back at her as if she were crazy was even more confounding.

"Wait… Lemme get this straight! You were engaged to another woman before?" Uo asked Yuki.

Yuki nodded, not taking his eyes away from Tohru's. He dropped his head back down on her legs, raising his hand to her and letting her clasp her tiny hands around his. She smiled at him, bringing his hand towards her face and leaning her cheek against the warm mass. He slid his hand out of hers, caressing her soft skin with the pads of his fingers. Tohru giggled softly, covering his hand once again with hers, stopping the movements. Perplexed, Uo watched their carefree motions in wonder. Even the most stable and secure relationships were shaken by prior lovers, especially engagements, but Tohru just continued playing with his hands as if he hadn't just affirmed having a previous fiancée.

"As in marriage?!" Uo cried.

"That's what an engagement usually refers to Arisa," Hana reminded her without a change of expression.

"Calm down. It was an arranged marriage. It's not like I, or Kuragi-san for that matter, wanted to marry each other. Truthfully, I only met her a total of three times and spoke with her only twice…" Yuki reassured them.

The fact that his engagement had been arranged and not established out of pure choice made the news a little better, but even so, Tohru had to be feeling a bit threatened by this. Uo had assumed she had a grasp of both Yuki and Tohru's thought processes over the past week. Tohru was the sweet girl who tended to be an obsessive worrier, and Yuki was her devoted lover, who seemed to be interested in nothing but Tohru. However, this new revelation distorted Uo's perception of them. How could a frantic worrier not fuss over a betrothal, even if it was arranged, and how could her loyal boyfriend speak of it as if it were nothing?

"And you're okay with that?" Uo asked Tohru skeptically.

"There's no reason not to be when I have my own marital issues…" Tohru responded quietly.

Appalled, Uo's jaw dropped. Tohru averted her wide brown eyes, looking down as if in shame. She could never manage to stop feeling guilty about Akito, regardless of how many times Yuki told her that her engagement didn't matter to him. Yuki had his own fiancée, but he had never kissed her before. She had kissed hers, or actually, Akito had forcibly kissed her, but she couldn't differentiate. It wasn't coveted, of course, but she was ashamed over the fact nonetheless. Tohru had tried to think about it less, and she had succeeded, but with a mentioning of marriage, she couldn't help but think of her soon to be marriage to Akito.

"But why are you guys with each other if you both are aware that you're engaged to other people?"

Tohru and Yuki seemed shocked to hear that this question even needed to be asked. The answer seemed obvious enough to each other. Love. Had that become an invalid answer? An explanation as to why they weren't just going to simply accept their arranged marriages seemed unnecessary, but if their reasoning only made sense to them, Yuki didn't mind reiterating the reasons as to why he decided to stay with Tohru even if their families refused to allow it.

Yuki took a deep breath before speaking, "Falling in love with her was never a logical action. Honestly, it's probably the worst mistake of my life, but how can I regret it? It was too easy. Falling in love with her never required much thought. I just did. Nobody ever asks you if you'd like to fall in love with someone. I just woke up one morning and realized my heart no longer belonged to me…. She had stolen it before I could even comprehend what had happened. I didn't even know who she was, but I wanted to find out…. I wasn't even sure what I was aiming for at first, but she grew on me, and I had to continue seeing her to the point that it grew unbearable to even be apart from her."

Nobody said anything. Nobody else in the room had ever met anyone else who had faced such blocks in love before. The worst case scenario Uo could have come up with prior to Yuki and Tohru's betrothal issues that might interfere with a couple remaining together was infidelity, but that didn't seem it'd be a problem between Yuki and Tohru. Both of them seemed more willing to harm themselves rather than be unfaithful. Too absorbed in one another, neither Yuki nor Tohru even seemed to notice the silence lingering in the air. Tohru beamed and leaned over, planting a kiss on his forehead.

"Is that why you two came here? To get away from your soon to be spouses?" Uo inquired after a minute passed.

"You could say that… But I'd say we're here more to be together than to avoid marriages," Yuki replied with a smile.

"That's so twisted! What kind of families do you both come from?" Uo questioned with a grimace.

Neither of them answered. A smile spread across Yuki's face. There wasn't a safe answer for that. Possibly, they had already said too much. But whose fault was that? Manabe, the guilty once, was quiet for once. Maybe there was a serious side to him after all, but like all good things, that didn't last very long. Shortly after, he began babbling again to nobody in particular about some random subject, losing interest in the topic of marriages after he realized that no conflict and resolution would occur. Nobody was paying him any attention though. Everyone else was still absorbed on the subject of marriage. Neither Uo nor Hana wanted to leave, although Yuki had only requested they stay until his return, but they could tell when privacy was desired.

"That was a surprise, Tohru-kun, but it would seem we aren't necessary to keep you company anymore. Feel free to hold onto the DVD until you've finished it," Hana informed them, "I'll see you on your birthday."

"Bye, Tohru, Yuki!" Uo added.

Tohru's head snapped up to watch her friends go. Releasing Yuki's hands momentarily, she waved to them with a big smile. Uo and Hana stood up, starting towards the door, but both of them stopped when they realized a certain someone wasn't following them in their exit. Irked, Uo briskly strode over to the bedside where Manabe was still seated and waving to them. She stood in front of him with her eyebrows raised and her hands on her hips, expecting him to get up as well, but he remained where he was, playing oblivious. Uo shook her head, yanking him up by the arm and dragging him towards the door. Quick goodbyes were repeated as a confused Yuki and Tohru watched the threesome leave.

"Wah! I never said I was going!" Manabe protested.

Both Uo and Hana ignored the man, and Manabe silenced his complaints by the time Uo had dragged him out of the apartment, pulling him by the collar of his shirt. He stumbled along, struggling to keep up while not letting Uo choke him to death with the grip she had on his shirt. Hana followed after, shutting each door for them. Uo led him through the darkened lobby and tossed him out of the complex. Manabe landed on the cement with a loud thud, drawing the attention of several bystanders. Uo pushed her blond hair from her face and kicked Manabe lightly in the side.

"What was that for?" Manabe whimpered, rubbing his side.

"Tohru is our friend now. So don't bother her. If you do, I'll kill you," Uo warned, an evil shimmer in her eyes.

"Yes ma'am!" Manabe said, taking her threat seriously.

"Don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old," Uo retorted.

"Ay, ay, Captain!" Manabe responded, saluting her now.

"Stick with Uotani. No ma'am or captain," Uo muttered, making a face at the names.

Uo glared at Manabe a second longer before walking back inside the building and locking the door behind her. Manabe sat there, waiting until he was sure Uo and Hana could no longer see him before he got up. He snickered to himself before walking around the building and to the side of the edifice that Yuki and Tohru's apartment was on. He tiptoed around, passing by their living room and arriving at the outside of their bedroom. He giggled to himself excitedly, only to be saddened when he realized curtains were covering each window.

---

Yuki's hand slid behind Tohru's neck, pulling her head down closer to his. Her long hair escaped from its place behind her ears, framing his face and settling on her lap. She brushed her lips against his awkwardly. It was almost like an upside-down, backwards kiss or something similar to that. The top of her lip had been against his bottom lip. Yuki laughed when she pulled away with a crooked smile. He stared at her blushing face with a grin.

"Is my head too heavy for you?" Yuki asked her.

"No… We can stay like this for a while. That is if you want to! You don't have to! My legs must be bony and uncomfortable!" Tohru exclaimed in a panic.

Yuki pressed his index finger against her lips. Tohru stopped babbling instantly, her cheeks darkening further. He grinned and tucked her hair back behind her ear. She felt his hand move back behind her neck, pulling her face back down for another kiss. Their mouths lingered open. This kiss was even more different than the last one had been, but still nice.

The movie playing in the background had long been forgotten, the rolling credits going by unnoticed.

---

Tohru grimaced, lingering outside the door fretfully. She didn't want to enter her and Yuki's apartment. He had sent her out with Hana three hours ago so he and Uo could decorate –they didn't want Hana decorating anything with her fondness with black. Tohru could only imagine what they could have conjured up with that much time on their hands, and she didn't like it. The card he had given to her earlier with the sweet message inside had been enough for her birthday, but he had still sent her out, dismissing her protests as if they had never been voiced. Yuki promised it'd be a commoner's party, but that only comforted her slightly. What did he know about commoners anyways?

Not very much she learned as Hana opened the door for her.

Pink balloons were lining the walls, under pink streamers which were taped to the center of the ceiling. There was a matching paper table cloth tossed over the kitchen table with a white frosted cake in the center. Scattered around the table and on the floor was a mixture of confetti and light salmon colored rose petals. It was overdone. Ridiculously so. But she had to admit, he knew her well. Everything was in her favorite color, and he knew she loved roses more than any other flower. She was beginning to think he knew her too well as he appeared just in time to lock her in his arms to keep her from bolting and pretending there never was a party.

"It's not that bad, Tohru. Stop closing your eyes, please," Yuki begged, dragging her inside as he shut the door.

Tohru kept her hands firmly across her eyes, despite the fact that she desperately wanted to continue looking at the beautiful decorations. She didn't want to give him the idea that it'd make her happy if he did something like this again. He would, even if there were no special occasion to celebrate. She knew it, so she refused to let him know how happy she was about this. Unfortunately, he was more observant than she gave him credit for. He had noticed that she had cracked a faint smile before she could even wipe it off her face.

"You smiled. I saw you. You like it," Yuki grinned, tugging her hands off her face.

Beaming, Tohru gave up and let him remove her hands..

"Thank you, Yuki-kun."

She hopped onto her toes, swinging her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek. Yuki laughed softly, pleased to find that his assumption that she'd like the party in the end had been correct after all. It would have been beyond awkward if the birthday girl sulked at her own party. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips gently against hers.

"You're welcome. Happy birthday, beloved. Now, come on. Sit," he ordered, leading her over to a chair at the end of the table and pulling it out for her.

She sat done with a blush, not finding the fact that she was sitting in the only seat with balloons tied to the back to her liking. Her cheeks were still flushed as Yuki sat to her right, and Uo and Hana claimed the two seats directly to her left. She glanced at the frosted birthday cake, noting with a smile that there were pink roses made out of frosting bordering the words _Happy Birthday Tohru. _There were also exactly eighteen pastel colored candles dotting the cake. Glancing back over to Yuki, she noticed he now had a match in his hand, poised over the box to light, but it remained unlit, which perplexed her until she heard the front door open.

Bewildered, Tohru stared at the entrance. She was sure everyone she knew in this town was already seated at the table, but it turned out, her guest was someone she knew but hadn't met formally yet. She beamed at Kureno as he awkwardly sauntered over to the open seat beside Yuki and across from Uo.

"Hi!" Tohru cheerfully chirped.

Kureno nodded in her direction, lowering his head slightly in a bow. Seeing the respectful gesture, Tohru bounded out of her seat and bowed three times in return. She had never enjoyed how formally people greeted her. Having someone bow to her as she stood there made her feel uncomfortable beyond reason. It bothered her more nowadays. Most people here treated her more like a regular person rather than royalty, and she preferred it that way. Being a princess, it would have made sense for her to have gotten used to the polite treatment, but she still felt awkward.

"No, I should be the one bowing…" Kureno mumbled, lowering his head further.

"No, no! You're our guest! You shouldn't have to bow!" Tohru cried, bobbing her up and down more rapidly.

Her head was spinning, and she was dizzy after a few more quick bows. Having been watching Tohru all the while, Yuki noticed immediately when she began to wobble. He extended his arm instantly and slipped it around Tohru's waist, tugging her back down into her seat before she fell over and hurt herself. Tohru gratefully accepted his help, sitting there willingly as her head cleared. Yuki shook his head at her, stroking her hair comfortingly. Humiliated to be the only one left light-headed, she looked down after gesturing Kureno to take a seat.

"You're the birthday girl. You'll do no such thing as bow," Yuki reprimanded in a teasing manner.

Tohru sank back in her chair, her cheeks quickly turning scarlet. Yuki chuckled softly at her as he struck the match in his hand and lit the eighteen candles embedded in the cake. Tohru looked up when they began singing to her, more embarrassed than before. Not wanting to prolong the celebration for even a second, Tohru blew out the flames after she made a quick wish as soon as they were done singing. Yuki grinned as he handed her the knife beside him and let her cut the cake. She quickly did so and started to distribute the pieces, but the first Yuki handed back to her. He took over the task of handing out cake and insisted she eat first, but she only obliged after a piece of the dessert was in front of everyone.

"Hey Kureno, since when have you been so formal?" Uo asked with a stunned look after she took a bite of her cake.

"Yes… And whatever did you mean by you should be the one bowing?" Hana added suspiciously.

"She's a pri-" Kureno started, but Yuki cut him off.

"A stranger! Of course he'd be formal," Yuki interrupted rashly.

"Ah, that makes sense. But the word he was about to stay started with a 'P' and 'stranger' does not," Hana pointed out.

Kureno, Yuki, and Tohru exchanged nervous glances. Hana just continued to stare indifferently as she waited for an answer while Uo raised her eyebrows, both growing impatient although only the latter showed it. Tohru swallowed anxiously, praying either Yuki or Kureno had come up with a story. She had never been good at lying. Averting Uo and Hana's eyes, she busied herself, poking around her cake. Yuki made an attempt to come up with another excuse, but his mind went blank. Feeling guilty, Kureno decided to voice the excuse he had managed to come up with, although he was sure it wasn't one bit believable.

"Pedestrian. Because she's a pedestrian," Kureno finally blurted out rashly.

Uo and Hana looked at each other. Neither believed Kureno's explanation. They exchanged equally suspicious looks.

"Do you think they're hiding something too?" Uo asked.

"It would seem that way," Hana responded calmly.

"You've been caught. Now spill it. Tell us your secret," Uo ordered.

"Uh…"

"She's the daughter of the president of the old company I used to work for. I was going to say president's daughter… I can't get out of the habit of being formal to her," Kureno made up.

Tohru and Yuki nodded in agreement, grateful that Kureno had come up with something somewhat reasonable. Uo seem fully convinced, but Hana showed no expression as usual. Hana turned back to her food, more interested in eating than the revelation she didn't find as exciting as Uo did. Yuki and Tohru actually preferred Hana's disinterest over Uo's curiosity. Tohru would rather Uo accept the fact and not question them about it, but as she thought this, Uo's eyes seemed to flash with more interest. The more questions Uo decided to ask, the more likely Tohru would wind up saying something that didn't follow their story line, and this potential worried all of them.

"I get it! So your father also arranged a marriage for you to expand his business, right?" Uo guessed excitedly.

"Yes. You could say that," Tohru smiled.

"Well now that that's settled, let's celebrate Tohru's birthday," Yuki suggested.

Everyone nodded, joining Hana in her eating before she finished all the food on the table. She had already finished her plate at this point and was reaching out for seconds. Yuki took the plate Tohru had picked up and filled it with food he knew she liked. He set it back down in front of her and handed her a fork before filling up his own dish. Tohru looked down at the food with a smile as he reassured her that he didn't cook it. She laughed, taking a bite without inquiring where he got the food. Tohru was afraid of hearing of his hiring of a chef to cook for him or something else expensive.

"Hey, Yuki, I get Tohru's side of the story, but where do you come in? Where's your part in this?" Uo questioned.

"Me? Well… I'm…"

"Wait! Lemme guess! You're the janitor for her dad's company! And you saved her when she was about to slip on the floor you just mopped!" Uo predicted enthusiastically.

"Arisa, that would make no sense. Janitors usually do not make enough money to afford to buy their lovers diamonds," Hana disagreed with a gesture towards Tohru's wrist.

"Maybe he stole it… He could be from a band of thieves! And she was supposed to be one of his targets, but he fell in love instead!" Uo grinned, coming up with another story.

"Arisa, isn't that a little far fetched?" Kureno inquired.

"Actually, you can just say my father and her family are rivals business wise. They basically hate each other," Yuki cut in before they started accusing him of something worse than thievery.

Tohru looked at him and smiled. He had found a way to tell them about their situation without directly saying who they were. Yuki leaned towards her and kissed her on the head reassuringly, making her cheeks flush slightly. She was used to his display of affection in front of others by now. However, it still humiliated her, but she was getting better at concealing her blushes. Kureno watched them. This was the first time he had seen them together in a long time, and nothing had changed between them, despite the amnesia they both had suffered.

"That makes sense! So you two should have a child! Then they can't possibly keep you apart!" Uo declared.

Yuki and Tohru both stared at her embarrassedly. Dark blushes coated both of their cheeks. They glanced at each other awkwardly. Tohru turned away almost immediately, fiddling with the table cloth timidly. She'd never admit to have had thought about starting a family with Yuki. It was a nice thing to ponder over to herself but nothing she'd be willing to voice to anyone. Tohru closed her eyes, praying she was just hearing things, by stealing a glance upwards, she found all three of her guests staring back at her, waiting for her response.

"You're kidding, right?" Yuki asked hopefully.

"I'm completely serious! You both love each other, so what's the problem?" Uo demanded.

"Arisa, Tohru just turned eighteen. Aren't you asking a little much of them?" Hana responded.

"Do you have a better solution? You two have to hurry before anyone finds you here. What are you two waiting for?" Uo questioned.

"I don't think they're ready for a child… But, Yuki, if you two get married, I don't think your mother would break it off. She has a lot of pride and wouldn't want to ruin her reputation with a divorce," Kureno suggested.

Yuki shook his head with a smile, "She'd just pay everyone who knew about it to never mention the marriage again. Besides, sex and marriage shouldn't be talked about so carelessly. Those choices are up to Tohru and I, not you all, so don't get involved," Yuki said nonchalantly.

Tohru looked down at her lap. What he was saying was true, but to her, it almost seemed like he'd rather not get married to her. She frowned, ashamed to be doubting his love once again. She knew as well as anyone that he had proven himself more than enough. They were miles away from home for a reason. But when he said things like that, she grew anxious. Yuki peered at Tohru, seeing her push away her slice of cake. He took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly, assuming her tense posture was over the uncertainty of their future. Tohru glanced up at him, wrapping her fingers around his. He just smiled back at her.

"Hey, you don't have to be so cold! We're just trying to help."

"I'm not trying to be rude or seem ungrateful for your advice, but you guys really shouldn't know about us for your own sake. Our families tend to be pretty dangerous," Yuki continued.

A brief silence followed before a new subject arose. Nobody mentioned their relationship anymore for the rest of the party, sticking with safe topics that wouldn't upset Tohru on her birthday. The party lasted well into the evening, ending way past Tohru's usual bedtime.

Tohru crawled into bed instantly after her friends left and after she had changed into her pajamas, disregarding most of the cleaning for tomorrow. Also ready for slumber, Yuki lied next to her with his eyes shut. Tohru curled up under the covers, watching Yuki for a moment before she wrapped her hand around his shoulder, shaking him gently.

"You didn't follow my rules, did you?" Tohru inquired suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" Yuki muttered sleepily.

"You got me a gift! Didn't you?" Tohru accused.

He chuckled at her, lifting his hands in surrender as he rolled over to face her. Yuki opened his eyes, gazing at her with a smile as she tried to act angry. She had never been quite good at being mad, pretending or otherwise. Tohru narrowed her eyes at him, giving him a gentle shove which only made him laugh. He trapped her hands with his, bringing them to his face and pressing his lips against her fingers. Tohru suppressed her giggle, fighting to keep her lips turned downwards. She pressed her hands against his lips, stopping the caresses.

"Yuki-kun! You weren't supposed to!"

"I convinced Uotani-san, Hanajima-san, and Kureno not to get you anything. I think I'm entitled to this treat," Yuki responded, trying to speak coherently with her fingers still pressed over his mouth.

She stared horrified at him. What were rules established for if he wasn't going to follow them? Tohru removed her hands from his face, tucking them under her arms as she crossed them over her chest. She frowned, staring at him disappointedly. Yuki grinned at her, placing his hand on the side of her face, cradling her cheek under his fingers. Tohru kept quiet, avoiding his eyes. He slipped his other hand around her waist, tugging her closer to him. She let out the breath she had been holding and allowed him to pull her closer to him. It'd be a wasted effort to fight against him when he was so much stronger than her.

"Don't worry. It's the cheapest gift you'll ever get. I hardly spent a thing," Yuki reassured her.

"Knowing you, you could have spent a thousand dollars and act as if it were a mere penny."

"It's a commoner's gift. I promise."

"Like your party for me?"

"That party was nothing. With my party as it was, I felt terrible for throwing you such a small party."

"That's my point! I already thought the party was too much!"

"Tohru… Please? You deserve a present."

Tohru hung her head in defeat and held out her arms. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping the gift really was as small as he claimed it to be. He flicked on the light and smiled. Yuki reached behind himself and slipped something soft into her arms. Tohru couldn't help but open her eyes in curiosity and was greeted by black, beady eyes. She smiled at the sight, staring at the velvety soft teddy bear in her arms. It was a soft, tan color with a light pink ribbon around its neck. She squished it against her chest with a grin. Her prior thoughts against gifts faded quickly with the stuffed animal in her arms. Yuki watched her with a faint smile.

"Thank you…. I love it," Tohru breathed.

"More than me?" he teased.

"Of course not! But you're not a birthday gift!"

"Of course I'm not. It would have been incredibly inconsiderate to give you something that's already yours."

Tohru smiled, squeezing her bear tightly in her arms before letting him turn off the lamp again. She lay there quietly and stared at him, unable to decide whether she wanted to ask him about the real issue that was bothering her or not. Better to ask and get the truth, she decided, even if there was a chance that'd she get an answer she didn't like. Trying to buy time, she fingered the silky ribbon on the bear, taking several deep breaths. She could hear his breathing slow, signaling her that if she didn't speak soon, her questions would have to wait for the morning.

"Yuki….?"

"Hmm?"

"D-Do you really not want to get m-married?" Tohru inquired softly.

Her voice had been barely audible, even to him who laid less than six inches from her. Yuki turned back towards her with a perplexed expression. His eyebrows furrowed, unsure of how she came to that conclusion. He peered at her, waiting for more of an explanation, but she kept quiet, waiting for a response from him. Tohru's lips quivered as seconds drifted past, her eyes already watery but still held a strong determination within. He was taking to long to respond. She blinked, her eyes focused on him for a moment as he stared back at her.

"Tohru, what do you mean?"

"Do y-you not want to m-marry me?" Tohru repeated.

He was speechless. His mouth hung open, no words came out. Tohru forced a smile across her face despite the escaping tears that slid off her cheeks and onto the pillow she had her head on. Maybe marriage was asking too much out of him. Being with him was a gift beyond the capabilities of her imagination. She had no right to demand more out of him. It was possible that she had said too much already. He could start seeing her as the clingy girl she tended to be and leave her, then that precious present would be snatched away.

"It's okay… I understand," she mumbled in a hurt voice.

She turned around, pulling the covers tightly around her. Yuki clasped his hand around her shoulder, but she pulled away. Tohru shrunk away from him in a tight ball.

"Tohru, can we talk about this?"

The only response he got was the chirping of crickets outside. Yuki got out of bed and walked over to her side of the bed. He kneeled down in front of her quietly so he could see her face. He noticed that she was still crying. If he could take back his silence, he would have. Yuki would give anything he had to replace the hurtful quiet for a quick denial. Gingerly, he touched the side of her face. She snapped her eyes open, gazing at him in shock. She hadn't heard him walk over.

"Why do you think that I don't want to marry you?" Yuki inquired softly.

"Isn't that what you said?"

"When did I say that?"

"When Kureno-san brought up the idea, you didn't seem to like it very much."

"That's because I don't think it'll help us stay together at all. I never said I was opposed to the idea. Besides, didn't I already tell you that there's only one person I want to marry, and that's you?" Yuki reminded her.

Tohru looked down, too bashful to respond to that. Yuki tilted his head to the side, unable to figure out why she always assumed the worst of his love for her. He ran his fingers across her cheeks, clearing her face of the unnecessary tears. Yuki sat down on the mattress before her. Tipping her face back up with his forefinger, he gazed into her large brown eyes curiously. Tohru blinked, grateful he hadn't turned on the light this time. Darkness was her friend whenever he made her blush so. He took her hands in his, fondling them lovingly.

"Do _you _want to get married?"

"…Yes…" Tohru admitted, her voice hardly audible.

"Then let's get married," Yuki responded.

"No!" Tohru squealed.

"What is it? I thought you wanted to…?" Yuki trailed off, confused now.

"You're not supposed to propose like that because I want to get married! Y-You're supposed to propose because _you _want to get married, and I'm supposed to agree because _I_ want to get married," Tohru explained.

"But didn't I just say I want to get married?"

Tohru allowed a tiny smile to adorn her features for a quick second before wiping it off. Inside, her emotions were a chaotic mess. On one side, she was jubilant. He had just proposed, almost, but she wasn't very convinced that it had been asked purely out of his own desire. She was afraid he had only mentioned it due to her confession of her own yearning for it despite his insistence that he wanted to marry her as well. Tohru peered at him, finding him beaming back at her.

"Then why didn't you mention it before?" she asked.

"Couldn't I ask you the same thing?" he didn't wait for an answer from her before continuing, "If you're asking why I never proposed, it's because you didn't exactly react the way I wanted you to when I mentioned marriage after you found out about Machi. You were embarrassed, and I'll admit that was cute, but you didn't look pleased with the idea…"

"I was…" Tohru confessed.

"Well then, I'm sorry… I should have asked you then. Forgive me."

"I told you I wanted to the other day too…" Tohru murmured.

"I know. But you were emotional then. I didn't think it was the right time to propose when you were crying. Besides, I told you I wanted to get married too, and you disregarded that," Yuki stated.

Tohru turned her face downwards, still not sure whether she believed him or not. Marriage was final. She would be pleased to be with him for the rest of her life, but she doubted he'd be happy being tied down to her, someone who hardly rivaled him in looks and also a girl his family loathed. It'd be a marriage doomed to end in divorce. Their families would never allow it. However, Yuki wasn't thinking that far into the future. He refused to let her go to bed believing he didn't want to marry her. He gave her an exasperated look, determined to straighten this out. .

"You don't believe me?"

She shyly shook her head side to side, knowing he'd figure out the truth even if she insisted upon believing him. Yuki sighed before climbing off the bed. Tohru shot up, blindly reaching for him in the dark to draw him back to bed. She may not have believed that he wanted to get married, but that didn't mean she wanted him to leave. Hearing the door open, Tohru dropped her arms, letting the light of the hallway blind her temporarily as she struggled to follow him with her eyes. He disappeared around the corner, and she could hear his rummaging. She was about to chase after him, but she saw him start heading back to the bedroom, so she forced herself to stay put and wait for him.

He sat down beside her again, dropping a small box onto her lap. Tohru stared blankly at it before glancing back at him, not touching the box.

"It's for you."

Tohru hesitantly picked up the small box, all too familiar with the case jewelry usually came in. She swallowed nervously before opening the black box, staring in bewilderment at the diamond inside. It shouldn't have shocked her to see he had bought a ring with the discussion they had been having before he presented her with the tiny trinket. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and looked up at Yuki through her tears. Tohru pointed to the ring, beaming.

"You remembered…"

"Hmm?"

"The ring… It's the same ring I was looking at when we first met…"

Yuki smiled simply. He pulled the ring out of the box, poising it before her left ring finger.

"Tohru Honda, I love you more than anyone and anything else in the world or even the universe. You may not know it or even believe it, but you're everything to me. You have no idea how bleak my life was until you came into it and brightened it up with your beautiful smiles and endless amount of love. I know our journey may not be the greatest or even the safest. We may have to change our names twenty times and move to fifty different counties. I can't even guarantee that we'll be together in the end, but I won't give up. And I'd be honored if you'd join me. Marry me?" Yuki asked in a soft voice.

Her hands flew to her mouth as tears glistened in her eyes. She nodded, not trusting her own voice to work properly. Yuki leaned towards her and gave her a quick peck on the lips before he slipped the ring on her finger. Tohru blinked back her tears, grinning wide enough to make the corners of her mouth ache. She sniffled, staring at him happily. Yuki placed his hand behind her head, pulling her towards him. She laid her head on his shoulder, overjoyed.

"I'm sorry. I was supposed to get on one knee and ask you, wasn't I? Did I ruin the proposal? Would you like me to redo it?" Yuki offered.

Tohru shook her head back and forth, wrapping her arms around him tightly to keep him from doing so. Her body was still shaking with sobs as she held onto him tightly. Yuki stroked her back awkwardly, finding her weeping to be a strange reaction to an engagement from a girl who claimed to want to get wed. He remained silent for a moment to see if her tears would abate on their own, but after two minutes of her continuous crying, he found himself unable to wait for the end of her crying any longer.

"Tohru?" he whispered anxiously, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy? I thought this was what you wanted…"

"I am happy… It is what I want…. I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't be crying," Tohru murmured, swiping at her eyes.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes… It's perfect. Thank you… I love you…." Tohru breathed, peering at the new adornment on her finger with a smile.

Yuki picked up her hand, examining it with the ring on it. The silver colored, white gold contrasted beautifully against her pale skin tone, but the diamond seemed a tad excessive on her thin finger. He liked having it there, regardless. It acted as a clear indication to any stranger who found himself interested in Tohru that she was taken and not available to anyone else. Tohru looked at her hand with him, sliding it out of his hold and pressing it against her heart.

"You're so adorable… I love you…" Yuki commented.

"When did you get the ring?" Tohru inquired, obviously changing the topic due to her embarrassment. .

"A long time before we left… I've wanted to ask you for a while, but I couldn't, not while we were back at our homes and anyone could see the ring, and I didn't want to ask you as soon as we got here because the last thing I want is for you to think I want to marry you because we're under pressure. I want to marry you because I love you and don't want another guy to ever even think about being with you."

"You don't have to be concerned abut that. No boy but you likes me anyways..." Tohru trailed off softly.

He threw her a disbelieving look, "Are you kidding? You're beautiful. You may not see their stares, but I do, and I don't like it."

"Y-You're lying. Nobody stares at me! You're the one who's p-pretty!" Tohru stammered.

"You're gorgeous. Believe me. I would know. I am one of those guys who stare at you constantly after all, but I stare most," he laughed.

Tohru flushed, looking downwards in humiliation, not paying any attention to his continual compliments until he had her face locked between his hands. He tilted her head upwards, leaning his forehead against hers. Yuki paused, watching her face brighten with a blush before he gently pressed his lips against hers. Tohru locked her hands behind his neck, pressing herself against him closely. He smiled against her lips, entangling his fingers in her hair and kissing her fiercely. Tohru opened her eyes when he broke away, both breathing heavily and equally happy.

Fate had woven her a wondrous story in which she had found her prince, and she refused to let anyone end her fairytale with words other than _and they lived happily ever after_…


	33. Secrets Revealed

Yuki and Tohru had been married for three weeks. They had had a simple wedding. No party or even a gown. Tohru had simply worn one of the dresses Uo and Hana had bought for her the first day she came, and Yuki had dressed formally but without the whole tuxedo. It wasn't a big event. They had only bothered to inform a handful of people. They hadn't even been able to go on a honeymoon of any sort out of precaution. Going out in public wasn't such a safe action now with people searching for them, lurking in every corner. What mattered to them wasn't the ceremony but the fact that they had been joined in matrimony.

Only twenty seven days had passed since they were wed, and Yuki had already lost his bride.

Tohru had left the apartment over an hour ago on a trip that should have only taken ten minutes to get there and back. She was supposed to be back from dropping a letter off at the post office for Uo a while ago, but she wasn't.

Uo and Hana paced around the lobby worriedly, feeling guilty. They shouldn't have let her go by herself. She didn't leave the apartment enough to know her way around town. Besides, she was too gullible. By now, she could be somewhere out of state after agreeing to take a ride with a random stranger. They had no idea what to tell Yuki when he returned. He'd be furious, if his concern didn't dispel that emotion.

As expected, when Yuki returned from picking up a few groceries for Tohru, he was more than worried to find Tohru missing. As soon as they told him that Tohru hadn't returned yet, the bags he had been holding slid out of his hands. They were worried that she had gotten lost or kidnapped, but Yuki was worried about those two and the possibility that Tohru had been found by a guard. Barely even bothering to toss the groceries inside the apartment, he quickly dashed back to the lobby in hope that Tohru had returned while he was away, but he was greeted by the two same grim faces. He could hardly remain in the hotel for more than five minutes before he left the apartment building to go search for Tohru.

Sunset was less than half an hour away, and he knew Tohru would freak out if she were out after dark by herself. That is, if she wasn't already panicking. She wasn't known for keeping her cool when she was afraid. He just hoped she was still in town. If she had been kidnapped or taken back home, he wouldn't be able to do much for her, and the worst part was that he hadn't gotten a chance to remind her of how much he loved her.

Another hour passed, and the sun set, the last orange rays sinking past the horizon. Darkness dropped down, covering the town with a black veil, and clouds shielded the moon, hiding the light it would have provided. Streetlights were the only source illuminating the otherwise dark streets. Yuki stalked around town anxiously. Tohru had to be terrified now. His pace quickened, and he apprehensively ran about, peeking around each alleyway until he came upon a soft crying sound. He bolted down the sidewalk hopefully, and his heart skipped a beat when he spotted a small figure hunched over against the side of a building.

He couldn't help but crack a smile when he recognized the familiar brown hair draped across thin legs pulled up against a girl's chest. Yuki was grinning by the time he called out to her, and Tohru looked up at him. Her face lit up with a large smile when she saw him, but he could still see the traces of tears and misery across her face. Yuki darted over to her and locked her in a tight embrace. At the moment, he couldn't decide whether he was more excited over finding her or more worried to see the tears, but he couldn't do much else other than beam when he had her encircled in his arms.

Tohru gasped, her heart thumping rapidly. She grinned widely, sniffling away the last of her tears as she pressed her face against his shoulder. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, trying to make sure he wasn't another one of the illusions coming to rescue her and find her way home for the past hour. His warmth was definitely not an illusion, nor was his breath on her neck. Tohru smiled happily, convinced this Yuki had to be real.

"Yuki…" Tohru murmured.

Yuki pulled back for a moment and pressed his lips on top of her head. Tohru blushed slightly before tugging him back into her embrace in a flustered manner. She was embarrassed, as usual when she was around him, but it was definitely preferable to sitting here, completely lost as much as she hated to let him see her humiliated. He was definitely the best thing in her life, and there was no better feeling than seeing him now after sitting here helplessly for over two hour. She kissed his cheek as she choked back her cries.

"Tohru, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you for so long…" he whispered.

"I-I got l-lost! I-I'm sorry… I-I was almost at the post office, b-but… I-I s-saw… I saw a g-guard…" she swallowed nervously before finishing, "I saw a guard from h-home… I t-think he's looking for us. And t-they're getting c-close!"

Yuki stiffened, pressing Tohru tightly against his chest. He couldn't believe how close he had come to losing his love. He had no doubt that if the guard had found Tohru and had taken her back, he would have never seen her again, that is even if he ever learned that she had been taken back home rather than kidnapped by a random stranger. He released her, bringing his hand to her cheek. Staring into her wide brown eyes, he could tell she was a lot more terrified than he was. He kissed her forehead, caressing the back of her head reassuringly.

"It's okay… Shh… It's okay now… Don't worry… I've got you now…" he soothed, "There's no need to cry, Tohru. I love you, and I'll always find you if you get lost or if someone takes you away from me. Of course, you may have to wait a while, but I won't stop until you're safe in my arms. Worrying isn't necessary… It's always only a matter of time until we're together again…"

"But what about when we're found?" Tohru squealed.

He was silent for a moment, "I love you…. I'm not going to let you go like that. Don't worry about it."

Tohru clung to him, rubbing her nose against his chest. She gripped his shirt tightly. He patted her back and held her close to him, concerned about how cold her skin felt. Glancing down at the thin outfit she was dressed in, his worry grew. Yuki ran his hands up and down her arms in attempt to warm her skin, but it wasn't very effective. Before Tohru could even tell him that that was unnecessary, he had taken off his sweater and slipped it over her head. Tohru was too cold to protest, and she knew he wouldn't take it back after seeing her shiver.

"C-Can we go h-home now?" Tohru pled.

"Of course… Come on…"

Yuki released her and stood up. Lowering his hand to her, he gripped her wrist, tugging her up. He readied himself to steady her, familiar with her lack of balance skills, but he wasn't prepared to catch her completely as she fell against him. His back abruptly hit the opposite side of the alley with a thud. Holding Tohru against him, he was suddenly grateful that the alleys were narrow enough for him not to fall over with Tohru. Yuki peered down at her, bewildered, but that shock faded into fret as he noticed she had one of her ankles raised a few inches off the ground. Tohru guiltily peeked up at him, frowning slightly.

"What's the matter, Tohru? Are you okay?" Yuki asked.

"My ankle… It hurts…" Tohru admitted softly.

He lifted her in his arms and set her back on the ground. Yuki took her left foot in his hands, setting it on his lap. He touched her ankle softly, feeling to see if she had broken a bone. Seeing her wince, he frowned. He couldn't feel a break, but he could guess that she had sprained it somehow. He didn't bother to ask how she had injured her self. He didn't exactly care about how. What mattered was that he got her home in time to keep her from hurting herself any worse. Yuki pulled her onto his lap and picked her up. He stood up with her cradled in his arms as he started down the path back to the apartment complex, ignoring her protests.

"Yuki! P-Put me down! I c-can walk myself!" Tohru squealed.

"How? By hopping?" Yuki asked incredulously.

Tohru flushed but nodded after a second. She'd hop all the way home now that he was here. She would have stumbled along by herself earlier had she had any idea how to get back home, and now that he was with her, she didn't even have to fear falling down. She just didn't want to trouble him. She wasn't a child anymore. She wasn't light enough to be carried back home like a baby. However, his grip just seemed to tighten as she tried to squirm out of his arms.

Yuki shook his head, "Please, Tohru? Don't make this hard for me. Just wrap your arms around my neck and don't struggle."

She looked down but obeyed. Her arms slowly slithered around his neck, and she stayed put. Tohru silently let him carry her through town until she started feeling queasy. His walking made her bounce up and down a bit too much for her comfort, although normally, she wouldn't have minded, but she felt nauseous today. She suddenly felt the last meal she ate crawling back up her throat. Tohru released his neck and covered her mouth with both of her hands.

"Down!" Tohru gasped through her hands.

Yuki stared, bewildered, at her for half a second before he set her back on her good foot, keeping his arm around her shoulders to keep her steady. Tohru stumbled over to a nearby grassy area and dropped down, hunching over and vomiting. Yuki instantly kneeled down beside her worriedly. He brushed her hair back and stroked her back fretfully. He watched her wide-eyed, not sure how to help in such a situation. Yuki couldn't even recall her being sick. Tohru had been perfectly healthy the last time he saw her, but now she was wiping vomit off her face. She breathed coarsely as she stumbled backwards.

He steadied her quickly.

Tohru almost looked scared when she glanced up at his concerned expression.

Yuki closed the distance between them, pulling her back towards him. She hesitated, self-conscious of her appearance at the moment, but he didn't let her stay where she was, despite the fact that she was sure remains of her lunch were still on the edge of her mouth and the back of her hand. He just held onto her, pushing her bangs off her forehead worriedly. Tohru nervously let him hold her, turning her face away from him. She knew he was simply concerned, but she'd rather not let him see her in this condition. Tohru wasn't even sure why she had reacted the way she had. As far as she knew, she didn't have the stomach flu, nor had she eaten anything bad.

"Are you okay?" he inquired.

"I-I don't know…" she replied weakly.

Tohru sat there, too dizzy and light-headed to try to stand up. Her arms shook. She felt like falling down, and if she weren't already on the floor, she would have collapsed. Yuki released her hands for a second as he turned around on his knees until his back was faced to her. He glanced back at her and grasped her hands, tugging her over to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Yuki locked his hands under her legs and hoisted her onto his back. He made sure he had a good grip on her before standing up and starting back down the sidewalk.

"Is it okay back there?" Yuki asked.

"Yes… Thank you…" Tohru murmured.

Yuki smiled as he walked slowly ahead, trying not to bounce her up and down too much. Tohru closed her eyes, resting her head on his warm shoulder, too tired to protest. Her ankle was throbbing now, her stomach was empty, and she was worn out from waiting here all day.

His back felt warm, comfy, and familiar. She couldn't shake the feeling that he had carried her this way before, but she couldn't remember such a scene happening.

Just as she was thinking that, a fuzzy memory slowly came back to her. She could faintly recall a small little boy who had helped her to find her mother when she was six and had fallen and scraped her knee. He had carried her around town on his back as well, and she could clearly remember his soft silver hair that would tickle her face every time the wind blew past them. It took her a minute to realize she was staring at the same person.

Her face scrunched up with confusion.

She started seeing brief images of her and Yuki together, things that didn't make sense. Scenes of them flash by in her head. Both of them were clearly a couple by the way he hugged her and kissed her. However, they were far too young for them to have been together then. Tohru would have brushed them off as hallucinations and her own creations, but they felt real. They felt like memories, but before she could make more sense of them, they disappeared. As she fought to keep the memories, the scenes faded away, not returning no matter how she called for them.

Startled, she stared at Yuki. Her eyes widened for a second before her eyelids fell down and covered her eyes again. As curious as she was for his answer, she couldn't manage to keep her eyes open.

"Yuki… Have I met you before?" she asked in a voice hardly audible.

Yuki's eyes widened, and he craned his neck to peer at her closed eyes. She had fallen asleep before he could even ask her what she meant by that or even reply. He hadn't even realized that he had frozen where he was in middle of a crosswalk until the blinding light of a car flashed by him with the screeching sound of a horn. He hurried across after checking to see that Tohru was still asleep. He wasn't sure how she had slept through that, but he was glad. He wasn't ready to answer her question yet.

Her words left him apprehensive as he brought her back home.

As soon as he got back to their apartment, he instantly set her under the covers of their bed. He felt her forehead. Tohru didn't feel warmer than usual. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. She didn't have a fever, but she had to be sick to have thrown up earlier. Yuki sat on the corner of the bed, his chin in his hands, thinking. His thoughts drifted back and forth from her sickness to what she had asked him. Did she remember something? All he knew was that he'd have a hard time explaining things to her. Yuki continued to sit there, too stunned to do much else. An hour passed before he fell down on the mattress, joining her in her slumber.

Tohru felt like she was in a movie theater, except she was the star of that very movie playing. She saw herself walking down the street with Kisa and her mom. Tohru wanted to jump down, and call for her mother, but she couldn't move from wherever she was. She was forced to watch the scene unravel after her mother pointed to a public bathroom nearby and left them alone in town. Tohru wanted to call her mother back, but she was intrigued by how young she looked. She couldn't have been more than fifteen there, but she didn't have many memories of herself when she was that age. Tohru focused back on the scene as she saw a group of drunken men head towards them.

"_Hey there, beautiful…. How about you and me go home together?" one of them slurred out to her as he grabbed her chin._

_Tohru swallowed nervously, wanting to scream, but she couldn't even make a squeak. Kisa was hiding behind her, gripping her dress nervously. Tohru backed away, but she encountered a wall. She peered around, in search of help as they men inched towards her, but the streets were deserted. The men stared back at her, chuckling to one another as one of them reached towards the top of the dress she was wearing. Her breathing quickened, and her eyes doubled in terror, but before the hand could even get anywhere near her, a paler hand had restrained it. _

_Her eyes rose, settling on the face of her savior, Yuki? There was no mistake. That silver hair and sparkling gray eyes could belong to no other. She continued staring, perplexed as the men ran away. Yuki, the younger one, looked at her and Kisa to see if they were hurt. Her younger self seemed delighted to see him. She flung herself against Yuki, gripping him tightly in an embrace he seemed startled to receive. He wrapped his arms around her soon enough and smiled, and this was the scene her mother returned to with a smirk._

Tohru awoke with a start. Her dream left her baffled. She was positive that she hadn't known Yuki while her mother was still alive. Tohru glanced around the room, surprised to find herself bathed in sunlight back at the apartment. The last thing she remembered was getting a piggyback ride from Yuki. However, now she was lying under the covers beside Yuki in their bed. Peering at Yuki for a moment, she winced as her head started to throb. Her dream, it felt more than just a figment of her imagination. Deep down in her heart, she had the feeling that that scene had taken place many years ago. It felt so distant and old, but they were definitely real.

Yuki awoke shortly after she did. He laid there for a moment, staring at her for a moment until he fully woke up. He tiredly sat up, yawning as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Tohru jolted at his touch, shocked to find him awake at such an early hour. Usually, he'd get up at least an hour or two after her, but not even twenty minutes had passed since she had opened her eyes. She smiled and leaned against him as he patted her head gingerly, relieved to see her beaming. He hadn't so much as seen her look anything but distressed last night. Even in her sleep, her face would twist with pain every so often, leaving him fretful.

"You're awake… I'm so glad…" he breathed.

Tohru nodded, her smile faltering as she glanced up at him.

"Yuki-kun… This is going to sound crazy… But have we met before?" Tohru repeated the dreaded question with an oblivious look.

She peered at his shocked face before frantically adding, "It's a silly thought! Never mind!"

Yuki kept quiet. He didn't start laughing as she had expected him to. He was just silent and serious. Tohru gazed at him, bewildered by his actions. It wasn't true, was it? She took his hand in hers, trying to get his attention. He looked at her for a second before pulling her back into his arms. Yuki took a deep breath, fighting to think of a reasonable way to explain to her. He had been too busy fussing over her health to think over a response to her question even though it hadn't left his mind since she had voiced her question. A part of him had even been hoping that she had forgotten all about it, but she clearly knew what she was talking about.

Her voice was nearly inaudible, "Yuki…?"

"Do you remember my telling you that I had another secret that wasn't entirely bad?" he stopped only long enough for her to nod, "Well it looks like you know now. I have no more secrets. You know everything now."

"What are you talking about, Yuki?" she asked, confounded.

"I'm sorry if I don't make sense, but the truth is that we were actually in a relationship before this… But on our previous wedding day, we got in a car accident before and forgot everything…. Then, I assume, we met again," Yuki struggled to explain.

"That's… That's…" Tohru gasped.

"Crazy?" Yuki finished her sentence for her.

He had never seen Tohru's eyes so big, and in them, he could clearly identify disbelief. She didn't believe him, but he couldn't blame her. After he had heard, he had thought his family was crazy for over a week before he started accepting it. He had even been angry with his brother and cousins for even telling him he had somehow forgotten the most precious person to him. Yuki just hoped Tohru wasn't mad at him. He wished this wasn't true as much as she probably did, but he couldn't even recognize a single thought fluttering in the chaotic storms brewing in her eyes.

"Are you serious, Yuki?"

He nodded. Tohru sat there as the news sunk in. Everything Haru and Kisa had told her about her mom's death and her sudden missing memories was a lie. She wasn't even sure how her parents died now. They had been trying to keep her from remembering Yuki, the best part of her life, and she didn't understand why. It seemed like everybody knew and forgot to tell her. Even Yuki knew, but she had been completely oblivious. She had never felt this neglected before. This was her life, and she deserved to know as much as everyone else, if not more so.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she chocked out in a hushed voice.

"Because… I still don't remember a thing. Not a single thing. And I'm ashamed of that… I don't want to believe that I forgot and still can't remember the one I love most…" Yuki answered, staring down at his feet.

Yuki released her guiltily. He dropped his head down, resting his forehead against his hands and gripping his hair in frustration. He loved her. He knew he did. So why wasn't a single memory coming back to him? Tohru scooted over to him fretfully. She didn't want him to blame himself for not being able to remember when she, herself, couldn't yesterday. Besides, she could only recollect bits and pieces. Tohru cautiously touched his shoulder, not wanting him to shrug her off. Glad to see he hadn't, she slithered her arms around his waist, comforting him as he always did for her.

"But it's not your fault, Yuki. It's a little hard to believe though… When did you find out?"

"Quite a while ago actually… I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."

"Forget about it, Yuki. If you told me before, I would have thought you were crazy," she laughed softly.

Yuki stared at her, not believing her act of happiness, as if she wasn't bothered by what he had just told her. He could see her trembling and mentally continuing to deny his words. He could even see the tears bubbling to the surface of her face. She kept smiling though, feigning a carefree attitude for some reason he didn't understand. He was her husband. She should feel comfortable enough to confide in him whatever she was thinking or feeling, but she was still putting up an act. Having been through the same experience she was currently going though, he should have been able to understand her emotions better than anyone else.

"What's wrong, Tohru? Are you mad at me?" Yuki asked worriedly.

"No… Not at you… You did nothing wrong…" Tohru whispered.

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because I don't know why Niisan or Kisa-chan would lie to me…" Tohru choked out.

He was unable to hide his relief at her an answer. He could answer that. With a smile, Yuki brushed away her tears. There was no reason for her to be upset over this. He actually thought she'd figure it out on her own. After all, she knew as well as he did how badly their families despised each other. It shouldn't have startled her to find out that their families would go as far as lying to them about their pasts. They were desperate to keep their families clearly distinct and separate. What was there that they wouldn't do to keep Tohru and Yuki from blending those lines?

"They didn't tell you because they couldn't… They love you too… Just not as much as I love you, but nobody loves you as much as I do," Yuki soothed her.

"Why can't they tell me?" Tohru inquired, not sure what he meant.

"Because… You know we're not supposed to be together. You know our families despise each other more than anything else… Of course they wouldn't want you to find out about me. If you did, wouldn't you be curious enough to want to meet me? And if you did, your aunt and uncle would be mad, wouldn't they? Then you'd get in trouble. Your brother and sister wouldn't want that, so they couldn't tell you."

"But I would have wanted to know…"

"Then be mad at me. I could have told you too. Hit me if you'd like. Just please smile for me?"

"I'm not going to hit you… I already did before… Once is more than enough… I'm fine… You don't have to worry, Yuki-kun," Tohru smiled faintly.

Yuki ran his fingers through her hair, knowing she was more troubled than she appeared to be. Suddenly feeling the need for comfort, Tohru snuggled against him, and he kissed her on top of her head. A peaceful expression crossed her face as she closed her eyes again, but he knew she wasn't placid inside yet. Physically, she seemed better than she did yesterday though. She didn't seem to be experiencing any more abdominal pain, and he couldn't be more grateful for that. He hurt when she did, and he was positive her pain far surpassed his.

However, the next day proved his assumptions wrong…

Tohru awoke early in the morning with her stomach turning. She got out of bed as quickly as she could and limped over to the bathroom, using every piece of furniture she came across on her journey to help her keep her balance. She didn't want to fall and wake Yuki. He'd be mad if he found her stumbling around with her hurt ankle. She told him her ankle didn't hurt as much anymore, but he still refused to let her walk on her own. Most of the time, she was forbidden to even leave the bed, and Yuki did everything she needed to for her. Yuki had insisted she wake him up to help her to the bathroom if she didn't feel better, but she couldn't bring herself to disturb his slumber. He had already stayed up late with her, stroking her back and talking to her until she fell asleep.

Regardless of her efforts to keep quiet, he found her shortly after she had exited the bathroom with an exasperated expression.

"Tohru, how many times did I tell you yesterday that I'll help you around? Please, don't walk on your own," Yuki pled.

"I'm sorry…" Tohru apologized.

He shook his head at her, smiling faintly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and helped her hop back to bed. Yuki would rather have carried her. It was quicker and simpler, but Tohru would never stop protesting when he did so. She'd complain endlessly about how unnecessary his constant assistance was. Of course, she was lying. He knew because he had let her walk on her own for about half a minute and she had fallen over. Tohru probably would have hurt her other leg if he hadn't been standing an inch away to catch her in case she did fall. She didn't have the greatest balance on two feet, and on one, that little grace she had seemed to vanish completely. She had eventually caved in and let him be her human crutch after that.

----

It was hardly six in the morning, and Tohru was already awake, standing in the bathroom nervously. Her period was late. Weeks late. And she was sure her vomiting wasn't due to a sickness she knew she didn't have. However, she'd rather continue to let Yuki believe she did have the flu. She bit her nails nervously, shaking a little as she lifted her shirt and glanced at her flat stomach. She couldn't be experiencing morning sickness. There was no way that a baby was inside there. She stayed in there a minute longer before exiting and silently slipping back into bed before Yuki awoke.

It had been almost a week since she sprained her ankle. It was better now, but Yuki still didn't like it when she walked around. He'd lecture her if he found out she left, but that wasn't what bothered her. He worried endlessly if he saw her walking, and she didn't want to trouble him. Yuki fussed over her enough nowadays with her supposed illness. He was constantly rushing about for her, getting anything she wanted and making sure she didn't leave the bed. The only time he let her rise was to cook, since he didn't want them to starve, but even then he was practically carrying her there. His concern would skyrocket if she tried to do anything on her own, so she tried to be obedient for his sake.

She laid down quietly, pretending to never have even left the bed. He stirred almost instantly and shifted over to her, placing his hand on the side of her face. Tohru beamed at him. She could tell he wasn't exactly awake, but he was too preoccupied over her wellbeing to just go back to sleep.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

"Better…" she lied, feeling no need to inform him that she had already puked before he woke up.

"Really? You don't sound much better," Yuki pointed out.

"I am… I am, Yuki… Really," Tohru insisted.

Yuki looked at her skeptically, but he didn't argue with her.

Tohru flipped over onto her side tiredly. Her energy had diminished due to the lack of food she was able to keep inside of her. Yuki immediately slipped his arms around her stomach, resting his chin on her shoulder. He felt as depressed as she was, not able to smile when she couldn't. She had tried to stay cheerful for him, but it grew more difficult to do so each day. Tohru attempted to be a little happier for Yuki, at least with a smile, but Yuki put a finger to her lips when she tried.

"If you're not happy, you don't have to smile…" Yuki told her.

"I'm sorry…"

"You're sick. There's no reason for you to be apologizing," Yuki murmured.

Tohru didn't say anything. Every time he mentioned her being sick, she felt guiltier about not telling him of her suspicions of pregnancy. He deserved to know, but she couldn't bring herself to inform him. It was too embarrassing to voice and rather difficult as well. In their situation, a child wouldn't exactly be the best news, despite the fact that they were in love and capable of caring for a child. Considering how desperately their families wanted them apart, a child wouldn't be something they'd support. She'd be lucky if they let her give birth. Regardless, having a child while they were trying to be discreet and blend in wouldn't be very helpful. Pregnant women and little children drew crowds.

"Why don't you go back to sleep? It's still early… Or would you let me go get you some medicine now?"

"No, no, no! You don't need to do that! I'm fine," Tohru insisted with a forced smile.

Yuki shook his head slowly. He had reluctantly agreed to her when she declined medicine the first time, arguing that she'd get better in a couple of days, but more than a couple of days had passed, and she only seemed to be getting worse. Tohru spun around in his arms, facing him with a weak smile. She placed her hand on his cheek, tacitly asking him not to leave her alone. Yuki sighed and hugged her, unable to disobey her when she was in pain. He wanted to do all he could for her, but she didn't want medicine, which baffled him, seeing as that was probably the easiest way to make her feel better.

"Fine. But if you're not any better tomorrow, I'm taking you to the doctor," Yuki warned.

"No!" Tohru squeaked.

"Tohru… Please? I can't stand watching you in pain. What's the doctor going to do that's bad enough to make you so against going?" Yuki asked, bewildered.

"I-I don't want to go!" Tohru sniffed.

Yuki's eyes widened as tears started streaming down her face. He didn't understand what was upsetting her. Going to a doctor had to be better than puking every morning. The doctor would mostly likely only ask her about how she felt and write her a prescription. He highly doubted she'd get a shot or anything that would possibly hurt her at all. However, Tohru wasn't worried about pain, but rather what the doctor may tell her. She was pretty sure she knew what was wrong with her, and she'd rather not have it confirmed.

---

Tohru was sitting on the floor of the bathroom, nervously leaning against the bathtub. She chewed on her lip apprehensively, watching the second hand of the clock slide over to twelve. Two minutes had passed since she had taken the pregnancy test Uo and Hana had brought over. The results would be displayed now. She anxiously glanced up at the top of the sink where the test was sitting, making no move to get it. Tohru set her forehead back on top of her knees, taking three deep breaths before looking up again. She glanced up at the sink again, still petrified of the possible results.

Looking at Tohru's terrified face, Uo picked up the test and read it herself.

"Congratulations, Tohru!" Uo exclaimed with a smile.

Tohru's eyes widened and she snatched the test from Uo. She stared at it in horror. Her emotions couldn't be described as shock of any sort. She had been expecting a positive result all along, yet she was still disappointed by the news. Wrapping her fingers around it, she prayed that she had been mistaken, but when her fingers uncurled, nothing had changed. The test was still telling her that she was pregnant. She shook her head back and forth in denial.

"No, no! It can't be true!" Tohru squealed.

"Tohru, that was the last of the three tests," Uo reminded her, holding up the empty box.

Tohru hopelessly took the other two tests Hana was holding and halfheartedly checked for negative results, but she was only greeted by two more positive ones. She sighed, frowning at the three tests in her hands. If she were in any other situation, she would have been delighted to be pregnant with Yuki's child, but she couldn't be happy, or even all right, when she couldn't even be sure that her child would even take its first breath. She didn't want to have a child until she could be sure that it'd have a happy life, but she couldn't guarantee that, nor could Yuki.

"This isn't good… This isn't good…" Tohru muttered to herself.

"What do you mean? You're married to a man you love, and you're having a baby. What's wrong with that? He'll be happy!"

"He won't be happy… Now isn't a good time for a child… He won't want it… This isn't good… He'll be upset… What am I going to do?" Tohru murmured, pressing her hands against her face.

She could already feel the tears brimming. Tohru tried holding back her tears, knowing the noise would awake Yuki from his oblivious slumber. His ears were oddly sensitive to her crying. Her tears wouldn't listen to her pleas to stop. They continued down her cheeks, quickening her breaths and making her body tremble. Hana scooted over by Tohru, touching Tohru's shoulder gently. Tohru sniffled, unable to hinder the rivers of tears that were dampening her skirt.

"Tohru-"

"You don't understand! I love him, I do. And I want a family… But not now… Not now…" Tohru wept.

"What's wrong with now?"

"It-It's just not a good time…"

"Now is as good as any other time, isn't it? You have to tell him anyways," Hana reminded her.

"I know… But I d-don't think I can…" Tohru admitted.

"I'm sorry, Tohru… But you're pregnant, and you do have to tell him… I just can't believe you two actually took my advice," Uo teased.

Tohru flushed, clutching all three positive tests in both of her hands. She looked down at her abdomen, too embarrassed to reply. What Uo had said did humiliate her, but it also left her scared. She had to tell Yuki too, before he realized it himself. She had no idea what to tell him. Tohru just hoped he'd react better than her with her stubborn denials. Everything told her she was pregnant, her vomiting, the three tests, and now her friends, but she couldn't bring herself to believe it. She was hardly eighteen, not old enough to be a mother.

"Little Tohru-kun is going to be a mother…. Oh my. What are we going to tell him when he wakes up?" Hana mused.

Tohru jumped, scattering the three pregnancy tests across the floor. She dropped back down, frantically picking them up. Uo and Hana watched her drop them down into the bottom of the trash can. They exchanged bewildered looks. She seemed too nervous about telling Yuki. Even more anxious than she had been when she had taken the first test, which had been a difficult task to get her to do. Having watched Tohru and Yuki together and seeing the nearly impossible amount of trust between them, they would have expected them to be able to tell each other anything, yet Tohru was hesitating.

"Tohru, you are going to tell him, right?"

"Arisa, what do you think? That one year from now she'll just introduce the baby to him?" Hana asked back.

"I will… I-I just don't want to…. What if he doesn't want the baby? Or what if he doesn't want to be with me anymore because of the baby? What am I going to do?" Tohru questioned in a state of panic and fluster.

"Tohru, calm down already. If he wants to leave you because you're pregnant, then he's not the guy for you. Besides, it's half his fault, you know?"

"B-But I don't want to disappoint him… He's done so much for me, and all I can do is carry his child that I'm not even sure he wants," Tohru whispered in a fragile voice.

Tohru choked back a yelp when she heard Yuki's sleepy voice calling for her. She had planned to have this done before he woke. He'd be suspicious and question her if he found her in the bathroom with Uo and Hana. She could hear him get out of bed and start looking for her. She knew he was concerned, but she couldn't find a voice to answer his worried calls. Uo and Hana revealed their location for her, swinging open the door as they got up to leave. They could see the relief on his face as he started over to them.

Tohru looked up at them, begging in a voice that her friends could only hear, "Please, don't tell him. Not yet, okay?"

Uo and Hana nodded a little reluctantly. He had a right to know, but it was her decision to tell him when she was ready. They had no right to interfere, although she had asked them to take the test with her instead of her own husband. They passed by a confused Yuki on their way out without a word. He shrugged to himself and walked over to where they had just come from, worried to find Tohru sitting on the bathroom floor with a tearstained face.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Nothing," Tohru smiled innocently, subconsciously sliding in front of the trash can.

"Then what were Uotani-san and Hanajima-san doing here at eight in the morning?" Yuki asked, perplexed.

"I-I don't know," Tohru nervously answered.

Yuki sat down in front of her, "Tohru, is there something you're not telling me?"

Tohru shook her head vehemently. She averted his eyes and inched back towards the trash can and away from him, acting as a barrier between the pregnancy tests she didn't want him to see and Yuki. Yuki didn't seem to notice her tense movements, too focused on the misery displayed across her face. He brushed her hair out of her face, swiping his fingers across her cheeks and clearing her skin of the tears. Running his fingers across her forehead, he smoothed the wrinkles that coated her head.

"No! Of course not! What wouldn't I be telling you?"

"I don't know… That you're pregnant?" Yuki guessed, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

Tohru gasped. Her eyes doubled in size, and she stared at him in pure shock. She opened her mouth, making an attempt to question him, but she couldn't speak. Her mouth shut for a second before she opened it again, failing at voicing her question again. Her eyebrows furrowed with fret. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. She lifted her arm shakily, pointing at him in fear. Yuki instantly wrapped his hand around hers, lowering it back down onto her lap.

"H-How How did you know?" Tohru stuttered.

"Tohru, you were practically screaming in here," Yuki reminded her.

Tohru stared at him worriedly. She focused on his face, checking for any signs of anger, but she could find no emotion. He was good at disguising his emotions. She couldn't even tell if he was upset or pleased by the news. His voice seemed nonchalant, as did his face, but she knew him well enough to realize that he was keeping calm to pacify her, but she was desperate to learn of how he felt towards her pregnancy.

"A-And?"

"And I want to know why you were so scared of telling me," Yuki responded.

"I-I… I didn't want you to be m-mad…" Tohru swallowed anxiously.

"How could I be mad? It's not your fault… I'm the one who should be worried about how you feel. My job is easy… You're the one who is going to carry the baby inside of you for the next nine months or so," Yuki replied.

"So you're not angry?"

"Don't be silly… Of course not… Come here…" Yuki called, holding his arms out to her.

Tohru crawled over to him, settling into his arms happily. She smiled as he held her against his chest, grateful to have such an understanding husband. Sure, his acceptance was just one of her preoccupations, but it was hard not to be delighted after she had been relieved of one of her major concerns. Their child would be fine, she knew it. Yuki wanted it, and he was much more capable of defending it than she'd be. Everything would be okay. It just had to be.

"You should never be afraid to tell me anything next time… Even if it's you hate me," Yuki added in a half teasing voice.

"I would never say that!" Tohru exclaimed seriously.

"I hope not. But you never know," Yuki whispered in an almost frightened voice.

Tohru gazed at him for a second before hugging him tightly. He was taken aback by her sudden movement, but he wrapped his arms around her again soon enough. She pressed her face into his shirt, teary eyed, wondering why he was talking like this. She didn't like this kind of talk. A time when she said such words couldn't be even a relatively good time. Yuki stroked her back, holding her tightly, his face against her hair.

"I won't say that. Ever… Because I love you," Tohru whimpered in a tiny voice.

"I know… I'm sorry. I know you love me, and I love you, but it's hard to think very far into the future," Yuki murmured.

Tohru peered up at him, her eyes red and wet. Yuki gazed back at her regretfully. He should have known better than to say that when he knew how much she fussed over the future already. There was no need to remind her of that, especially after she had learned of her pregnancy. He apologized and reminded her of how much he loved her again only to have her brush his words off with a smile. Yuki beamed back and decided to change the subject, moving onto a topic that wouldn't upset her.

"Can you believe it? We're going to be parents! Our child is inside of you!" Yuki laughed, pulling back so he could look at her.

"I'm actually scared, Yuki-kun," Tohru confessed.

Yuki caressed her cheek, holding her face comfortingly. A smile remained across his face. She looked into his eyes and instantly felt her fears go to the other end of the world. What was there to fear if Yuki was beside her, after all? She could doubt her own parenting abilities, but she could never second-guess his. He'd be a magnificent father, whether they had a son or daughter. That eased some of her terror. At least one of them was guaranteed to be able to care for their child properly.

"Don't be. I won't let anything happen to you or the baby," Yuki promised her.

"You really want to keep the baby?" Tohru asked, looking down at her lap.

"Of course… I know we're both young, but if you're ready, I really want to give this a chance…"

"I'm ready…"

He grinned and inched his face closer to hers. Yuki placed his hand behind her head, tugging her towards him. His lips captured hers lovingly. He moved both of his hands onto her soft cheeks, his thumbs pushing down on her jaw slightly. Yuki cradled her head in his hands, kissing her delicately. They broke apart after a few minutes. Tohru still clung to Yuki, and he continued to hold her protectively.


	34. Calm Before the Storm

_Tohru could see Yuki's back, easily recognizable with his glimmering silver hair. He stood exactly ten feet away from her, holding the tiny hand of a child in his. Suddenly, they both turned around and faced her. Yuki smiled, as did the child. She instantly noticed it was a little girl around the age of four with dark brown her, similar to her own. She had her dark locks tied up in small pigtails at the sides of her head, surrounding wide gray eyes that were obviously from Yuki. Tohru's jaw dropped in delight. Her and Yuki's daughter? _

_"Mommy!" the little girl cried._

_Tohru stooped down, extending her arms out to the child, awaiting an embrace with a grin, but the little girl darted right past her. Tohru gawked, falling back onto her bottom with a thud. Bewildered, she craned her neck back, catching a glimpse of the child leaping into the arms of another woman with hair similar to her own but several inches shorter. Tohru recognized the lady as Machi, Yuki's fiancée. _

_Yuki followed the girl, brushing past Tohru without a glance in her direction. Tohru reached out for him, calling him back frantically, but he ignored her, and her arms helplessly dropped back down to her sides. She couldn't make contact with him, and for some reason, she couldn't move. Nearly in tears, Tohru watched with a horrified expression as Yuki leaned over and kissed Machi on her lips. _

_Tohru shrieked, her eyes misting over with streams of tears. _

_That was her Yuki. What was he doing with their child and Machi? Her face contorted with agonizing pain. She couldn't breathe anymore. Her labored breaths seemed to drain her completely of energy, leaving her collapsed on the ground. Tohru laid on the cold concrete motionlessly, adding new tears to the wet puddle she was already resting her head on. _

_She watched hopelessly as Yuki, Machi, and the toddler started walking away from her, all holding hands and laughing. Tohru gave one last effort to call for him, but her voice came out as a whisper, hardly audible even to her own ears. _

_Soft footsteps soon could be heard, making her lift her head in hope that Yuki had returned._

_However, it wasn't Yuki's kind face that greeted her. _

_Instead, it was the last person she wished to see._

_Akito._

_Confused, she stared at his malicious face, which was twisted with a cruel smile. Her heart thumped rapidly in terror as he took more and more steps in her direction. She screamed in vain for Yuki to come back now that Akito was less than five feet from her. To her utter shock, Yuki was suddenly in front of her, still with the child. No Machi in sight. She could have grinned if Akito still wasn't two feet from her. She pointed at Akito frantically and was shocked to see Yuki waving to Akito with a smile. _

_Akito dragged her to her feet, and Yuki began to fade away. She gasped, calling him back, but instead, a small boy with black hair and ominous matching eyes was thrust in front of her. _

"_Say 'hello' to mommy," Akito smiled cruelly. _

_Tohru couldn't even speak. She dropped the child in horror. The child began to cry as he locked her legs in a painful grip. Tohru whimpered before turning around and finding Yuki behind her, smiling beside Machi again. She cried for him but found herself to be ignored again. Her world was spiraling downwards, the light fading away, the sounds deafening, and then…_

She awoke.

Tohru shot up from the bed and stared at the darkness for a minute, wide-eyed and terrified. Her heart raced swiftly, tripping and stuttering in a mixture of agony and fear. Tears had somehow transferred from her nightmare onto her face. She could feel the liquid trailing off her chin. It took her a moment for her to realize she was also screaming. She instantly clasped her hands over her mouth, silencing the cacophony. Trembling and still breathing coarsely, she hadn't realized Yuki was holding her in his arms until he spoke.

"What happened, Tohru?" Yuki asked, his voice full of solicitude.

"Yuki!" Tohru wailed, "Promise me you won't ever marry Machi!"

Yuki blinked, confused. He glanced at his wife who was currently burying her face in his shirt, sobbing with such force that he winced in pain. He stroked her hair reassuringly as Tohru continued to sob, hiccupping and sniffling too fast for her to catch up on her own breathing. Worriedly, Yuki pressed her tightly against his chest, seeking a way to console her before she hyperventilated and fainted. He had never actually felt her arms hold onto him so tightly. It was shocking in a way, yet he was more consumed with concern.

"I promise. I won't marry her. You're my only love, and you'll be my only wife. I would never dream of replacing you. How can you even think I can give my heart to another when you already have a death grip around it? I only have one heart, you know…" he paused, letting her digest what he had said before adding, "What brings up this demand?"

"Our child… Love me… Love only Tohru… Please. Don't fall in love with Machi-chan… Don't have kids with her…. I want only our child to be yours. I want to be the only one who has your children, please…." Tohru pled.

"You'll be the only one. I swear. Now tell me, what happened? You're not acting like yourself."

He stroked her back gently, feeling her grip loosen ever so slightly. She peeked up at him almost hesitantly, tears still hiding her eyes from him. Yuki gingerly ran his fingers under her eyes, clearing them of the misty veils. Kissing her lightly on the tip of her nose, he managed to ease some of her fears. Her breathing slowed enough for her to regain some of the much needed oxygen. Yuki patiently waited as she recollected her thoughts.

"My d-dream…" she finally murmured, "It was horrible… Please, only me, okay?"

"Yes, my love. I wouldn't have it any other way… Besides, you should know I only have eyes to see you smile… Ears to hear you laugh… A mouth to remind you of how much I love you… Arms to hold you… A mind to remember you, and a heart to give to you…" Yuki assured her, seeking to disperse the last of her concerns.

Tohru flushed, hiding her red, swollen eyes in the crook of his arms. She let her arms slither back around his waist, squeezing him tightly. Yuki smiled, returning her gesture. He slid her onto his lap, cradling her lovingly.

She was still having trouble identifying her dream as just a figment of her imagination, despite the fact that she was right here, being crushed against Yuki's chest. He was with her, and he had managed to hinder her tears, yet she was still fighting the painful void that had overcome her a few minutes ago in her dream. She was in his arms, but she had never felt more alone and abandoned. Seeming to notice her state of panic, he pressed his lips to her cheek, speaking around her skin.

"Without you, there isn't much left, now is there? Don't worry about it… I can never ever love anyone else more than I love you… I don't think there's room in my heart for anyone else. You take up too much space there, if you don't already occupy the whole thing," Yuki laughed briefly to himself.

"Thank you… Is there anything I can do for you?" Tohru offered.

"Just be happy. Wherever you go, whatever you do, just be happy, please. That's all I ask. If you find you love someone more than you love me, love him, and don't worry about me."

Tohru looked up at him guiltily. How could she act so selfishly? She was supposed to let him have whatever he wanted, even if that was Machi, but she couldn't. Tohru couldn't even think about taking back her pleas. His agreement to them had left her with too much relief and bliss. If she took it back, she was afraid she'd sink back down that dark hole, and her dream would become a reality. She should be putting his happiness before her own, but the thought of him wanting to be with Machi was too much to bear. He'd keep this promise, even if he were to love Machi more than he loved her. If it came down to that, she wasn't sure what she'd do. Letting him go would hurt too much, yet clinging to him when he was in love with another woman seemed too cruel.

"You make me sound horrible… I must seem greedy. I'm sorry…" Tohru apologized.

"No… Don't fret… Feel free to tell me whatever your desires are. Nothing makes me happier than being able to grant your wishes," Yuki reassured her.

"I just want you to love me forever…" Tohru whispered.

"Of course I will. That's a given. Nothing will ever come between my love for you."

"I'm glad… And you don't have to worry about me loving someone more than I love you… I don't think that's possible," Tohru admitted with a blush he couldn't see.

Yuki grinned and kissed her cheek. Tohru blushed, the red across her cheeks deepening in color as he embraced her. He freed his waist from her arms, interlacing his hands with hers. She smiled as he brought their entwined hands to his face and pressed his lips to her skin. Timidly, she slid her hands out of his. Leaning forward, she let them lock behind his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder. He fingered her hair, twisting the long strands of mahogany around and weaving them through his hands, as she shut her eyes.

"Like how it's impossible that you love me more than I love you?" he chuckled.

"No, like how it's impossible that _you_ love _me _more than _I _love _you_," Tohru beamed.

"Well then, I think I have to worry about you falling in love with another guy," Yuki teased her.

Tohru shook her head with a faint smile, disagreeing without words. He chuckled at her again, ruffling her dark locks before pulling her nearer.

"It's midnight… Let's go back to sleep…"

Yuki didn't give her much of a chance to agree, simply dragging her back down with him. Her cheeks darkened, feeling his cheek against hers. Shyly, she placed her arms over his, which still were firmly locked around her abdomen. Yuki flipped her over after a minute, holding her closely to him. Tohru snuggled against his warm chest, pulling the blanket back around them. He grinned, giving her a kiss on top of her head before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

Tohru willingly let him hold her down as he slept, but she was wide awake.

She stared ahead at the blackness in front of her face, not wanting to get out of bed yet not ready for slumber either. Tohru didn't dare disturb his rest, even if she still wished to speak with him. It was moments like this, when he was holding her and she could feel his warm breath against her neck, that she appreciated most, and there was no way she was going to waste a second of it. He reassured her endlessly of how they'd end up together, but she couldn't be so sure.

Guards were here.

She knew that.

He couldn't lie to her about that even if she was the most gullible person alive.

She had seen one less than five feet from her not too long ago, and if she would just dare to sweep the curtains from a window in their apartment, she knew she would find guards all over town. She couldn't, however. It was one of the many restrictions Yuki had decided to enforce a short while after she had told him about spotting the guard. He didn't allow either of them to leave the apartment complex. She didn't mind staying inside with him all day though. He had his ways to keep her entertained and smiling.

But, as talented as he was at distracting her, he couldn't remove the concern from her mind. There was too much to fuss over, too much she could lose so easily. Yuki could vanish from her life in the blink of an eye, and she wasn't sure how she'd manage to live after that. She couldn't even begin to imagine going on with each day without his smiles, his kindness, his love. In such a short period of time, they had quickly grown to become vital necessities to her. It would seem that he had become more than simply her best friend, her lover, her husband. He was her life source.

Tohru swallowed anxiously, fighting back tears that threatened to spill. She couldn't cry. Yuki would awake as soon as a single tear escaped with his arms so close to her face. There were many difficult things she had come to accept. She had accepted the fact that she would never see her mother and father again, she had accepted the fact that she had to live with her aunt and uncle, who hated her, but she couldn't accept the fact that there was a chance she wouldn't wind up with Yuki.

It didn't even make sense to her.

Why couldn't they be together?

Including the previous relationship she had with Yuki that she couldn't exactly remember, they had been dating for around three years. And for nearly two of those years, there had been no protest against their relationship. They had been allowed to get married, but now, for some reason, their families were willing to do anything to separate them. She was sure that reason hardly involved them, meaning they were to be kept apart over some silly feud of some sort? That hardly sounded fair.

She loved Yuki, and he loved her. That simply should have been a good enough reason to let them be together, but it wasn't. Tohru wiped the brimming tears off her face, replacing her sadness with determination. She refused to let anyone tear her away from Yuki. There had to be something she could do to make both of their families realize that nothing they could possibly do would keep them apart.

She wasn't quite sure how long after this point until she actually fell asleep, but thankfully, it was still dark when she did.

--

"Yun Yun!"

Yuki cringed, hearing Manabe barge into the room without a knock or even a warning. Actually, he was still pondering over how Manabe even got into the room. There was something known as a lock, and he couldn't recall giving a key to Manabe. Yuki glanced up at Manabe's glittering eyes to the clock and then back to Tohru, who was still fast asleep. It was barely noon. There was no reason for Manabe to be here. Yuki pulled his fingers gently through Tohru's hair as he had been doing all morning for the last time and covered her ear gingerly, hoping their voices wouldn't awake her.

"Ooh! Was I interrupting? I'm sorry!" Manabe whispered loudly.

"Why is it that the first thing that pops into your head always something dirty? Wait, why are you even here?" Yuki groaned softly, trying his best not to wake his princess.

"It's my job! But it looks like I'm not needed here! But anyhoo, I should take a few pictures to show the commander what a good job I've been doing!" Manabe exclaimed as he pulled out a camera.

"Argh! Just get out!" Yuki ordered.

When Manabe made no move to exit, Yuki whipped his pillow towards Manabe as a warning. Manabe ducked, letting the pillow slide out the door. He laughed as he partially hid himself behind the door frame. Yuki's eyes narrowed angrily. He had run out of harmless items he could throw. The last pillow was under Tohru's head, and he didn't dare remove it. Yuki glanced at the lamp beside him. Debating whether he should toss it or not, his fingers danced along the edges.

"I swear, if that flash goes off, I'll throw this lamp next. And I won't aim for the door this time," Yuki warned, picking up the glass lamp from the end table.

"But I don't need the flash to take a picture!" Manabe snickered, pressing the button.

The soft click of the camera went off, signaling that it had captured the moment. Manabe dashed out immediately, fleeing for his life. Yuki jumped out of bed, chasing the dark haired male to where he was poised by the front door. Yuki gripped his shoulder and pulled him back inside before Manabe managed to twist the door knob and escape. Yuki placed his hand against the door, destroying any last minute getaway plans Manabe had come up with.

"I'm just going to warn you once, but if you send that to Niisan or anyone else, I will personally kill you."

"Alas! I'll just post it online then! Can't you just see the title already? Prince-"

Yuki's hand grasped Manabe's shirt, lifting him a few inches off the ground with a menacing smile. He opened his mouth to threaten him some more, but he was silenced when he heard the soft pitter-patter of Tohru's feet as she walked into the room. He turned around, watching her sleepily walk towards him while rubbing her eyes. Yuki dropped Manabe and rushed over to Tohru before she tripped over a fold in the carpet. She flushed when she realized why he had led her off in the opposite direction.

She had already tripped over that spot nine times already.

"Why are you up so early?" Tohru asked, peering up at Yuki curiously.

"Tohru, it's noon," Yuki pointed out, gesturing at the clock.

Her eyes widened incredulously.

She couldn't believe it. She had never slept past eight before. There were so many things to be done. Tohru gasped as she started thinking about everything she should have done already. Breakfast should have been cooked hours ago, there was still laundry to be washed, a bed to make, last night's dishes to be put away. Her list rambled on for miles in her head. Flustered, she shuffled off to the kitchen quickly, followed by a worried Yuki. Instantly, she began to set the dishes back in the cabinets. Concerned about Tohru's nearly obsessive need for everything to be clean before the afternoon, Yuki sighed and helped her put the silverware away.

"You haven't eaten, have you? I'm s-sorry! I should have woken up earlier! I don't know why I didn't wake up to my alarm! I'll go get breakfast- lunch ready right away!" Tohru babbled.

"Tohru, you didn't wake up because I turned off your alarm. You need to sleep. Stop fussing and calm down," Yuki ordered her.

Tohru nodded, but she hardly relaxed.

"I want lunch!" Manabe chimed in, leaning across the counter.

Tohru nearly jumped up in shock. She barely managed to hold back a scream of fright, immediately clinging onto Yuki's arm. Both Yuki and Tohru glanced at each other. Yuki, having forgotten his presence, and Tohru, never having even noticed him standing there, were both taken aback by his voice. After a minute, Tohru embarrassedly released Yuki and apologized. Yuki shook his head, finding her apologies unnecessary. He turned her around, not paying Manabe an ounce of his attention.

"Ignore him," Yuki told her.

"No, no! I'm making lunch anyways. It wouldn't be a problem to make one more dish!" Tohru responded cheerfully.

As she started taking out cooking utensils, she glanced down, noticing she was still in her pink pajama pants and matching shirt. She flushed and mumbled something about changing first to Yuki before rushing back into their bedroom. Yuki took the opportunity to give Manabe his true opinion, seeing as if Tohru were here, she'd get upset if she were to hear what he truly thought about Manabe being here. She never found anybody to be annoying. He had no clue where she got her tolerance from, but there was only one thing she couldn't tolerate and that was unkindness.

"You could have at least been more polite to her. Why didn't you even say 'please'?" Yuki demanded.

"Fine! If I must, I will uphold my respect! I'll go apologize for my rudeness!" Manabe declared as he rushed off to the bedroom.

Yuki shook his head as Manabe scuttled down the hallway with a mischievous look across his face. Realization struck Yuki, an arrow shot from a bow. That idiot was going to enter the room where Tohru was currently changing in. His hand was already on the doorknob, slowly opening the wooden barricade. Yuki darted into the room before Manabe could even fully open the door. He enclosed Tohru's surprised frame in his arms, hiding her from Manabe's eyes. Shocked, Tohru dropped the outfit she was about to put on. Tohru could feel the shade of red tainting her cheeks slowly drift across the rest of her body.

"Yuki-kun? What are you doing?" Tohru asked embarrassedly.

"Being dirty! He ran into the room while you were changing to have a peek, but he couldn't help from having a feel too!" Manabe announced unnecessarily loudly.

Tohru's blush darkened, rivaling the scarlet shirt Manabe was wearing.

"Idiot! That's because you were going to walk into a room where a woman was changing! Where are you manners?!" Yuki snapped back.

"Yun Yun, the real question is where are yours?" Manabe cocked his head to the side innocently.

If he weren't holding Tohru and shielding her from Manabe's perverted sight, Yuki would have taken the lamp he had spared earlier and thrown it at Manabe. Tohru shifted in Yuki's arms timidly. She could feel her heart lurching in her chest, forceful enough to make her fear that one of her ribs would soon break. Tohru was even positive that Yuki could feel the pounding of her heart, not to mention the heat radiating off of her bright red skin. Noting how Yuki's eyes weren't directed towards her, she prayed he was too annoyed at Manabe to notice how embarrassed she was.

"Shut up! Get out already!" Yuki ordered impatiently.

"Yes, yes! I'll leave so you two can do your dirty thing," Manabe chuckled as he pranced out of the room immaturely.

Manabe popped in before a second even passed, "But don't forget I'm waiting for my lunch!"

"Get out. Nobody is making you food," Yuki tried to explain to him with as much patience as he could.

"I'll do it!" Tohru offered with a smile.

Yuki sighed. Her kindness and selflessness were going to wind up to be open invitations for Manabe to drop by whenever he was hungry, despite the fact that he had been nothing other than rude to her.

Manabe left with a smile after hearing the words he wanted to. Yuki released Tohru and quickly locked the bedroom door to keep Manabe out, an action that Tohru had forgotten to do. After twisting the door knob a couple of times to ensure that it was indeed locked, he retreated to the corner of the room as he waited for Tohru to finish changing, his eyes directed towards the wall. Tohru flushed as she slipped on her shirt and skirt. When she was done, Tohru skipped over to him with a smile and took his hand in hers.

"You really are overprotective," Tohru giggled.

"Fine… I'll just let the next person who walks in on you changing see you," Yuki nodded to himself.

"No! Y-You wouldn't!" Tohru squeaked in a panicked voice.

He laughed, "Of course I wouldn't. How could I possibly allow that?"

Tohru shrugged with a small smile as he stood up.

"Let's go make him leave," Yuki grumbled.

He gripped her hand firmly as he led her out of the room. They were both shocked to find the brunette man nowhere in the apartment. Confound, they both walked around in confusion until they arrived at the counter. There lay a brown envelope addressed to them. Yuki picked it up cautiously and dumped the contents onto the table. The two of them were surprised to find an array of photographs of them together during their stay here. Tohru smiled as she gushed over the permanent memories locked on glossy paper as Yuki picked up a piece of paper from under the mess.

_Just so you know, the commander has a copy of every picture before you. _

Yuki's face darkened as he crumpled up the paper and dropped it into the trash. This would just be a one-way flight to nonstop annoyance from Ayame. He could only wonder how much Ayame had paid Manabe to act as a stalker. It seemed creepy to him, but as long as Tohru was pleased with what she was presented with, he wouldn't kill Manabe just yet. Tohru sorted through the pictures with a grin, separating them into piles.

"Look! It's our wedding," Tohru smiled as she held up a picture to Yuki.

He peered at the photo with a warm expression. It was a simple scene. If anyone else were to look at it, it wouldn't be identifiable as a wedding. The common indicators weren't there. No wedding dress, tuxedo, flowers, or even guests. But both seemed equally happy. Tohru was grinning ear to ear with her hands locked in Yuki's as he leaned toward her to kiss her cheek.

"I want to go thank Manabe-san," Tohru told him, "I'll be right back!"

Yuki nodded before she fled the room, not thinking twice about possible dangers in the hotel.

Tohru darted down the corridors, trying to locate Manabe, but she couldn't find him anywhere. She had even asked Uo and Hana, but they hadn't even seen him come in, let alone exit. Having already circled the building at least three times, Tohru stumbled along tiredly, photo in hand, surprised to find a woman beckoning to her a few feet from where she was standing. Innocently, Tohru approached her, wondering what it was she needed. She didn't recognize her as someone she knew from here or from her home town, but it seemed that the women knew her.

"Come inside, princess," the taller woman cooed.

Tohru's eyes widened in shock, trying to resist entering, but a pale hand encircled her wrist and yanked her inside, locking the door behind her.

She was led into an apartment similarly styled as hers, but this one was void of much furniture, save a couple of chairs and a table in the kitchen. Tohru nervously followed the stranger into the kitchen where she was pushed down into a chair. She sat there obediently and politely refused a cup of tea when offered. The lady sat across from her, her dark eyes menacing and her dark locks seeming to come alive as venomous snakes.

Tohru shifted awkwardly, wanting to leave before Yuki started to worry but not wanting to seem rude at the same time. She looked down, fiddling with the picture of her wedding with Yuki. It was silent for a few moments as the woman continued to glare at Tohru. The only sound in the air was the soft ticks of a nearby clock, constantly reminding Tohru that every second that was passing was making Yuki worry more and more. Tohru peeked up only once before returning to play with her photo. The glowering was beginning to scare her.

Tohru finally looked up, "Um… Do I know you?"

"I come from the same town as you, princess," she snarled.

"Oh… W-What's your name?" Tohru asked nervously.

"Motoko," she responded sharply.

"Well… M-Motoko-san, do you need me for something?" Tohru squeaked.

Motoko just smiled malevolently as she reached over and took the photo from Tohru's hand. Motoko stared at it momentarily before ripping the picture in half. Tohru gasped as Motoko crumpled one of the halves and tossed it over her shoulder. She flipped it over, revealing the half of the picture with Yuki on it to Tohru. Unable to figure out why Motoko would destroy her precious picture, Tohru's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Tohru reached for Yuki's half, trying to salvage at least part of her photograph, but Motoko held it out of her reach.

"Yuki is mine," Motoko hissed.

Tohru shook her head in denial, "No, no he's not!"

"Are you saying he belongs to you?" Motoko questioned smugly.

"N-no! You can't own a person, b-but… He loves m-me!"

"Are you sure about that? Sure that he couldn't possibly love anyone else more than he loves you?" Motoko questioned.

"He's married to me," Tohru murmured.

"So you don't think he's ever dreamed of marrying someone else?" Motoko demanded.

Tohru bit her lip. Despite all of Yuki's frequent reassurances, it seemed almost too easy for Motoko to undermine them all with a couple of questions. Tohru could feel something hot race down her veins, something that was making her blood boil and bubble. She could taste bitterness in her mouth. She almost gasped when she realized what she was experiencing: hatred. She didn't like this Motoko, this woman claiming she loved Yuki more than Tohru did. Tohru could tell Motoko wasn't very fond of her either, but Tohru seemed to be the only one of the two who felt the least bit guilty about her ill feelings towards the other.

"I want to go home," Tohru breathed.

"Why? Are these questions difficult for you?"  
"Yuki-kun is worried," Tohru whispered as she stood up.

"Or maybe he's not."

Tohru pushed in her chair before she raced out of the kitchen only to fall down five feet away. Before she could even push herself back up, Motoko pressed her foot onto Tohru's back, smiling a wicked smile that Tohru didn't even need to turn around to see. She could feel a rough rope slither around her wrists, yanking them together. She squirmed in fright, but her motions only seemed to make Motoko work faster, and in less than a minute, Tohru was thrust back into the chair she had gotten out of not too long ago.

Motoko turned around and picked up a kitchen knife from the counter behind her. She smirked, twisting it around wickedly. Tohru's eyes widened at the sight. Her breathing picked up pace as Motoko walked over to her. She trembled in the chair and started to flail around, trying to escape in vain. Motoko extended her hand, steadying the chair. She lowered her face, leveling her eyes with Tohru's large, fright filled ones. Motoko ran her fingers along Tohru's chin, jerking her face upward with her finger.

"Do you really think you could even love Yuki more than I do?" Motoko demanded.

"I-I love him more than anything," Tohru admitted.

"And that's even comparable to how much I love him?" Motoko asked.

"O-Of course. Y-You d-don't know him. I do. I love him more than a-anyone could…" Tohru murmured stubbornly.

"Don't underestimate my love for him!"

Motoko slapped Tohru across her face. Tohru's face jerked to the left, driven by the force of the blow. She gritted her teeth together, trying to ignore the pain rippling through her body and the tears bubbling to the surface. Motoko smiled, noting the wetness surrounding Tohru's eyes. She laughed lightly to herself, playing around with the knife a second longer before setting it down on the table within Tohru's reach. If her hands weren't tied together, she'd be able to take it.

Tohru looked down, "How can you assume I don't love him as much as you do?"

"Because he treats you more like a pet. Calling you cute… I would never want to be called that by my lover… That's something I would refer to my dog by," Motoko laughed.

Tohru shook her head, fighting back streams of tears. A dog. That definitely wasn't something she wanted to be seen as, especially not by Yuki. Her eyebrows knitted together fretfully. Motoko was exaggerating, wasn't she? _Cute_ was a perfectly acceptable term to express love, was it not? However, she was having a difficult time believing her own reassurances. Tohru had never thought about the meaning of the seemingly doting terms Yuki used to refer to her by, but now that Motoko had pointed it out, her logic made sense.

Seeing Tohru take a second glance and reconsider her thoughts on Yuki's feelings, Motoko grinned, partly satisfied. Motoko walked away for a moment before returning with a small, plastic, transparent bag. She held it out a foot from Tohru's face, glaring at her with disgust. She waved around for a minute before holding still to let Tohru see what it was exactly. Tohru gawked, staring at the three pregnancy tests she had taken not too long ago. Yuki hadn't even seen those.

"What's this? Are you cheating on Yuki?" Motoko spat.

"N-No! It's Y-Yuki's!" Tohru blurted out before she realized what she had said.

Tohru looked down with a red face once the words sank in. That was private knowledge shared only by Uo, Hana, her, and Yuki. She hadn't even told her family the news yet in fear that someone other than her brother and sister would find out. Motoko smirked as she placed her hand on Tohru's cheek. She ran her fingers gently along Tohru's cheek before digging her nails into the soft flesh, scratching the skin. Tohru winced at the pain, holding back a cry as blood started trickling off her face.

"W-Where'd you get those?" Tohru questioned shakily.

"The trash…." Motoko muttered, a bit ashamed to be admitting to have searched through their garbage.

Motoko peered at the bloody mess on Tohru's face thoughtfully. She snickered as a thought fluttered into her head.

"Maybe he won't love you so much when you aren't so pretty anymore. Then he wouldn't even have to bother about lying to you about how you look," Motoko mused as she twirled the knife around in her hands.

Fearing for the worst, Tohru shrieked and squeezed her eyes shut. Motoko gripped her long brown hair, pulling the blade through the strands. She held onto the bundle of hair in her hands with a cruel smirk before dropping the strands onto Tohru's lap. Tohru screamed when she saw the pile before her. Tears were already bubbling onto her face as Motoko leaned in again. This time, the knife was poised half a foot from her face. Tohru gaped in terror, not having trouble imagining what could happen next.

"Don't worry… Akito will still love you."

Tohru's eyes widened in horror. She flailed about, kicking her legs and fighting against the ropes, but she only managed to get the chair to topple backwards. She wailed when the chair, along with her own weight, crushed her hands. Waves of pain rippled through her body, sending the tears she had fought so hard to resist tumbling down her face. Motoko smirked at the sight of Tohru's pain. She let Tohru lie there for a few minutes before she bothered she set the chair upright. Motoko patted Tohru's head with false cheerfulness.

"Oh, and don't bother fussing over informing Akito of where you are. I'll do that for you, and then you'll be with your fiancé all over again. Yay…" Motoko continued slyly.

"No, no, no!" Tohru screamed.

"Don't be concerned. He'll forgive you for running off with _my_ lover," Motoko laughed.

Tohru shook her head in denial. She let out another cry, but this time, her hollers were covered by the sound of the front door crashing against the wall beside it. Tohru opened her eyes worriedly and was instantly relieved to find Yuki standing there. She blinked, unsure if he was actually there, but by the looks of Motoko's shocked expression, he had to be. He didn't stare at the scene in horror for too long before coming to his senses. Tohru smiled, instantly forgetting any pain she was feeling.

"Yuki!" Tohru cried.

Yuki rushed over to her with a mixture of anger and fret across his face. His fingers worked quickly, rapidly untying the ropes from her wrists. He quickly swept her into his arms, ignoring Motoko as he carried a sobbing Tohru out of the place. Motoko gawked as her plans to end Yuki and Tohru's relationship just broke before her.

Somehow, before now, she had managed to convince herself that Yuki didn't honestly love Tohru, and he would instantly chose her over Tohru after he learned of her love for him, yet she couldn't think that anymore. Not after she had seen that expression across his face. He had been genuinely worried about Tohru's absence, and he was clearly relieved when he found Tohru, yet angry at her for trying to hurt his princess.

Yuki loved Tohru for some reason she, nor Tohru for that matter, couldn't figure out. He saw something in Tohru that neither of them could see, and that something seemed to make Tohru utterly irreplaceable. In fact, he had hardly even glanced at Motoko with anything other than hatred, and she was well aware of the fact that nearly every guy she knew had had a crush on her at some point, but Yuki looked right past her and instantly to Tohru, and his eyes quickly changed, spilling out love and concern.

"Why are you in here….? I've been looking for you all over… I even caught up with Manabe, but he hadn't even seen you. I was so worried…. I asked everyone I saw, and nobody had seen you…. Finally, I found a maid that saw you come in here…" Yuki muttered as he continued walking down the hallways.

Tohru couldn't speak, choking on the tears still flowing from her eyes. She clung to Yuki, burying her face against his shoulder. He patted her back, ignoring the gazes of onlookers and their various questions. Yuki didn't even bother to explain to Uo and Hana when they started to follow him with their train of questions, but he let them enter when they arrived at the door at the end of the hallway. By that time Tohru had silenced and was raking her fingers through her now short hair with a horrified expression. She could feel several strands as long as her hair had once been, but most were cropped and hanging a little above her shoulder.

"Are you all right, Tohru?" Yuki asked worriedly as he noticed the tears begin to build up again.

Tohru shook her head vehemently. Yuki glanced at her worriedly, taking her hands into his and staring at the red skin with wide eyes. His eyes drifted upwards, eyeing the cuts and red hand print across her cheek fretfully. He lifted his hand, gingerly grazing her cheek. His fingers quickly withdrew when she flinched. Tohru glanced up at him, trembling as she tried to hold in newly arrived tears. Yuki drew her back into his arms and pressed her tightly against his chest. Tohru slipped her arms around him and held onto him tightly. Unable to release him, she clung to him, despite the fact that she was bothered that she was leaving a teary mix of blood across his white shirt. He stroked her hair reassuringly, letting her cry again.

"I shouldn't have let you go… I'm sorry…" Yuki murmured.

"No…. It's my fault. I s-should have known better than to go in with h-her."

"She was just taking advantage of your kindness and trust… That's no reason to take the blame," Yuki told her.

He kissed her unharmed cheek, easing away the last of her tears. She settled down momentarily as he left to get the first aid kit. He had her holding tissues over her cheek while he opened the bottle of alcohol and doused a cotton ball. Yuki kneeled down in front of her anxiously, seeming more worried about cleaning her cuts than she, who would be feeling the pain, did. He slowly placed his hand behind her head to keep her from moving too much as he wiped the alcohol across her cheek as gently as he could. She made no sounds, but he could tell she wasn't too fond of the stinging sensation, but as much as he didn't want her to be in pain, he wanted her injuries to get infected even less. He finished as quickly as he could and returned to the counter for a band aid.

She watched him as he placed the bandage over her cheek before glancing around the kitchen. Her eyes settled on various chromatic surfaces of appliances in the kitchen. Tohru stared horrified at her reflection, making a face at her hair.

"Tohru?" Yuki asked with confusion.

"M-My hair…" Tohru stuttered.

"Don't worry, Tohru-kun. We can take you to a nice hair salon and they'll fix your hair for you," Hana offered.

Remembering the omnipresent guards, Tohru shook her head, "No, no, no! I-I don't want to g-go…"

"Then I'll cut it. You'll look as adorable as before," Hana reassured her.

Yuki and Uo quickly nodded in agreement, seeking to cheer the tear stricken girl. Hana left momentarily and returned with a pair of scissors. She gestured Tohru to a seat in the kitchen, and Tohru followed sadly. She made no comment as Hana snipped off her hair, evening the strands out. Yuki smiled when Hana set the scissors down, but Tohru was still frowning. She touched the ends of her hair awkwardly, trying not to offend her friend. When she looked up, she found a small mirror held out to her face. Tohru peered in the mirror, staring at her short hair in disdain. She couldn't remember the last time she wore her hair like this. The last time her hair was cut off before it reached her shoulders had to be at least ten years ago.

Yuki ran her fingers through her soft strands comfortingly.

"Why the forlorn face? I like it," Yuki whispered into her ear.

"You do?" Tohru squeaked.

"Of course. You're so adorable."

Tohru grimaced slightly and looked down, instantly remembering what Motoko had said. _Adorable_ and _cute_ were terms someone used to describe a pet of sorts, not a lover. Noting the change in expression, Yuki peered at her, perplexed. She had been more embarrassed and flustered a second ago. Unable to figure out what could have upset her, he touched her chin, lifting her face and staring at her saddened eyes.

"You always say that…" she sighed, not sure what to think anymore.

"Because it's always true," Yuki insisted.

She didn't respond, looking downwards instead. Tohru idly twisted her fingers through the fabric of her skirt, averting Yuki's eyes. Frustrated by her silence, Yuki stooped down, kneeling before her. Before she could turn her head away, he placed both of his hands on either side of her face, locking her head in place. Finding he could hold her face in place but not her eyes as she shut them, he sighed. Yuki released her, allowing her to drop her head once again, but at least she opened her eyes.

"What did I say wrong?" he asked softly, hoping she'd respond.

"Nothing…"

"Yes, I did say something to offend you. You're upset. Why?"

Tohru swallowed nervously, not wanting to tell him the truth. It seemed a bit humiliating to tell him now that she thought about it. Seeing his lips flatten out into an unsatisfied line, Tohru glanced up guiltily. She hated seeing him discontent, especially with herself. Now she felt obligated to tell him something. Not wanting to retell Motoko's words, she tried to think of another reason that could be the cause of her sadness in vain. Even the thought of lying left her cheeks red, and just that look gave her intentions away. Yuki gave her a disapproving look which was enough to push her over the edge.

"…Because _cute_ doesn't mean _I love you_…" Tohru admitted.

"And why is that? Who said that?" Yuki demanded to know.

"Everyone says that…"

"I don't. You never had a problem with it before. Is this something _she_ said to you?"

Tohru looked down. By the tone of his voice, he deemed her ludicrous for listening to Motoko. She could feel the stinging sensation in her eyes, the signal for the onset of tears. Most people considered her gullible and not very bright. She didn't mind them thinking that she was a bit dumb, but she didn't want Yuki to start thinking that.

Yuki shook his head when he noted her change in demeanor. He scooped her up in his arms, wrapping her legs around his abdomen. Flushing, she wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her head on his shoulder so he couldn't see her face. Yuki was silent for a moment, stroking her hair gently. His fingers fumbled awkwardly, not used to the short brown strands. He stopped before she noticed and started accusing him of not liking her hair again.

"It is? Isn't it? Regardless, it shouldn't matter to you what I say because it all means _I love you_… So of course _cute_ means _I love you_," Yuki reassured her.

"You're just different."

"So if I'm different, can't the word have a different meaning for me?"

"I-I guess…"

"It doesn't matter. If you don't like it, I won't say it. Do you have a preference for another term? Beautiful? Gorgeous?" he suggested.

"B-But I'm neither…" Tohru protested in a barely audible voice.

"You're both."

Tohru flushed as she shook her head. Yuki laughed and nodded, disagreeing with her. He blinked, peering at the pink flush fading as purple splotches started to replace the blush behind the bandage. He cautiously covered her cheek with his fingers, careful not to press his fingers against the wounds. Tohru, bewildered, glanced up at him, confused to notice that the grin and cheery expression had been replaced with fret once again. He set her back on the chair cautiously and took a step back to scrutinize her face.

"Are you all right?" Yuki inquired again gently, not wanting her to panic.

"Yes… Why?"

He held up the mirror to her, revealing to her the purple skin across her cheek. Tohru gasped, covering her face in humiliation. Yuki touched her darkening wrists gingerly, picking her hands up to examine the blue rings around her wrists. Yuki frowned, attempting to inhibit the desire for vengeance. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Getting revenge wouldn't make Tohru happy, it'd just provide him with satisfaction, not her, and it was her he sought to please. As if she were reading his mind, Tohru gripped his hands tightly, her eyes insisting that she was fine.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Yuki asked.

"It hurts…" Tohru admitted.

"I'm sorry…. Is there something I can do for you?"

"…K-Kiss it…" Tohru quoted him shyly.

"I only wanted a kiss last time. It doesn't really make it feel better," Yuki teased her.

"I want a kiss too…" Tohru murmured.

Yuki chuckled, "You don't have to ask for one."

He leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek before brushing his lips against hers. When he pulled away, he could still see sadness lingering behind her eyes, despite the fact that she was smiling. He took her hands in his, holding her cold fingers. If her lack of heat wasn't showing her fear clearly enough, her trembling certainly did. Yuki stroked her hands, rubbing them gently. He could feel goose bumps across her skin.

"What's wrong now, Tohru?"

"Nothing…"

"Are you worried about telling me about a secret lover you have?"

"_You_ are my secret lover."

"But not so secret anymore, eh?"

She nodded, agreeing hesitantly. It was true. Their relationship was definitely not a secret anymore, but she'd like to believe it still was. A secret relationship with a person she shouldn't be with definitely made her feel more secure than a marriage to said person that had to be known to everyone. She couldn't even bear to think about what could happen when they were found. Her head was filled with enough of the normal fears of a possible break up or fight. At least that would be of their own doing, but a forced break up wouldn't be about their incompatibility whatsoever. How could she possibly get over something like that? Then again, a separation due to infidelity or a new found love would kill her just as painfully.

"Yuki, do you know _her_? Do you know a Motoko?" Tohru asked anxiously.

He cocked his head to the side, "Not that I know of. Why?"

"So you haven't dated her before?" Tohru inquired.

"Not as far as I can remember. Why are you asking?" Yuki responded bewilderedly.

"That- That lady… She said you were hers… Maybe you were in love with her before the accident," Tohru murmured.

Yuki smiled, "I doubt it. I was going to marry _you_, remember?"

"No… I don't remember that part. What if it's not true?"

She had many random recollections of moments between them, but none hinted at a wedding. She could recall no ring, no proposal, no wedding preparations, and certainly no ride to where they were to be wed. It could have been a lie for all she knew. She had enough indications that they had been in a previous romantic relationship, but she didn't have enough memories to piece their story together. The moments she could remember were sporadic and didn't make much sense together. They could have broken up before the accident for all she knew.

He stroked her back, "Maybe we weren't about to get married, maybe we were. I'm not sure about that, but I'm positive that I was in love with you then too," Yuki reassured her.

"How do you know?"

"Because, when I first saw you… I can hardly describe it. It was like finding an angel, my angel. I saw you, and I immediately knew that I would never ever want to part from you. I guess it's what others may call love at first sight, but I'd say it was much more powerful, more breathtaking, more heart stopping…. I just wanted to wrap my arms around you and hold you forever…"

Listening to his own words, Yuki followed through with his said desires, encircling Tohru's waist with his arms and embracing her. He kneeled for a moment longer before sitting down and dragging her down with him. Tohru watched him, waiting for him to continue as he peered at her with a similar expression. She gripped him tightly, too timid to respond. Nothing made it harder for her to speak than his open professions of love and affection. Nonetheless, they pleased her.

"…I wanted to kiss you. But somehow, I kept from doing so to keep you from deeming me a freak. It was like I had been looking for you for a very long time, and I had finally found you."

Tohru's cheeks darkened instantly.

"And you know what? Seeing Motoko, I felt none of that. Of course, I felt that way after finally locating you, but that's only because you were there. With Motoko, I was just angry at her for doing that to you. That's how I know…" Yuki concluded, his voice trailing off.

She clung to him, ignoring the pain she felt when his cheek grazed her bandaged one. Tohru refused to let him release her, even if he were trying to see if she was all right. He had checked her injuries excessively already, always seeming to need to know if they happened to pain her more or bother her to a greater degree. Finding these questions to be causing him unnecessary concern, she'd answer as vaguely as she could, but this time, she decided to change the topic to an issue she found to be more pressing.

"Are you ashamed of our relationship?" Tohru inquired hesitantly.

Yuki threw her a bewildered look, taken aback by the absurdity of her words.

"I'm not ashamed. Why would I be? I'm with the most extraordinary girl in the world- universe, I mean. How did you even come to that conclusion?" Yuki questioned.

"Um… I-It's silly, but you just never seem to want to acknowledge who we are… I know you love me, but maybe you don't like our relationship because of who we are," Tohru whispered.

"Silly… I don't want to think about who we are because I wanted to continue to believe that if I ever told my parents that I was in love with you, they'd be happy instead of wanting to separate us. That's ridiculous, but I want that kind of relationship for you, one where you don't have to worry about the thoughts of others. You deserve that happy relationship."

Tohru shook her head, not denying that she was entitled to a happy relationship, but doubting she'd even end up with one altogether. It was a nice thought, nevertheless, but improbable and senseless to wish for. She already had her dream relationship. Obtaining it wasn't the problem. Managing to hold onto it was with nearly everything she encountered trying to tear them apart. She originally thought she'd just have to battle their families, whatever army they managed to conjure up, and Akito, but now she had Motoko, the woman trying to seduce Yuki.

"I don't think I'll get that happy relationship…"

"And why is that?"

"I think it's over… Yuki-kun, she knows who we are… She can tell anyone…. What if she ends our story? What if I don't get my happily ever after?"

"Can someone like you not get a happy ending?" Yuki mused.

She kept silent.

"It's only over if you want it to be over," Yuki told her.

"If it were that easy, I wouldn't have to worry."

Yuki was quiet, contemplating her words as he tried to find a way to counter her words. Tohru giggled half heartedly when he tilted his head upwards in frustration, unable to think of a way to console her woes. She placed her hand on his head, running her fingers though his hair as he usually did to her when she was upset. Yuki leaned back further, brushing his lips against her palms. She laughed, withdrawing shyly. His fingers captured her wrists, crushing her against his chest.

"Why worry?"

She smiled faintly, looking up for the first time and noticing her two friends had long gone.

--

There, in the darkened, silent room, one could hear the soft clicks of a shadow in the corner pressing buttons on a phone. A short moment of silence passed before the phone started to ring. In the middle of the third ring, a click sounded, followed by a dark, ominous greeting.

"Hello…?"

"Hello, Akito-sama… I have found your princess…"

--

Tohru swung her legs back and forth on the balcony outside, leaning against the railing as she sat on the edge beside Yuki. Yuki wrapped his fingers around hers, tugging her away from the bars separating her and the one foot drop to the ground. She beamed, happily complying and moving away from the end of the balcony. It wasn't a very long drop if she were to fall, but if he was worried, she didn't mind lying against his chest with his arms locked securely around her and his lips against her hair. This was one of the rare occasions in the past few days that he had allowed them to take a step outside, but they were overlooking private property, a place where guards couldn't go anyways. Regardless, the sun still set with equal beauty here.

"I want to raise our kids here… in a place like this…" Tohru whispered.

"Me too…."

"It'll be hard, won't it? But I like it. They'll have more choices and freedom. They'll be happier," Tohru mused.

"That'd be amazing," Yuki agreed with a smile.

"I want to raise them with you, at least," Tohru added.

She nodded to herself, touching her stomach gingerly with her fingertips. Yuki copied her movements, placing his hands just above hers. Tohru didn't look the least bit pregnant, but she had already decided what she wanted. More than anything, she wanted her baby to have the chance to take its first breath. She worried about that most, afraid that their situation would put the child's life in danger. There was no doubt in either of their minds that if her pregnancy leaked out to either of their families or Akito, Tohru would be forced to have an abortion, whether she wanted one or not.

"You keep talking about our baby as if you're having multiple. Do you think you're having twins?" Yuki questioned with his eyebrows raised.

"No, no, no… I just thought we'd have more than one child eventually," Tohru confessed timidly.

Yuki laughed, making Tohru panic.

"What? You don't want more than one?!" Tohru asked fretfully. .

"Of course I do," Yuki grinned.

After hearing her let out a sigh of relief, Yuki swept her up into his arms and carried her back into their bedroom. He gently tucked her under the covers before dropping down beside her and laying his head on her stomach. He kept perfectly still and serene, letting his head rise with each intake of breath.

It was impossibly placid, the calm before the onset of a raging storm capable of ruining both their lives.

**YAY. I'm alive after two months of being nonexistent. Point out any errors you found, please. Thank you for reading ;D **


	35. Forget Me Not

Tohru kneeled on the floor in the dark room, trembling as she tossed her clothes back into her suitcase. She packed their few necessities and left anything they could replace later. She could only bring a few things to make this trip easier for the both of them. She was still shaking as she struggled to latch the lock in place. Tears had broken to the surface of her eyes by the time her task had been accomplished. Sitting before her suitcase, she cried miserably. She didn't want to leave. This was her home, the place she wanted to raise her child, but they couldn't stay.

Hearing from Uo and Hana that some man had asked for a _Yuki Sohma _and a _Tohru Honda_, Yuki decided that this apartment was no longer safe enough to stay in. They had denied having those last names, and Uo sent the guard on his way, but that didn't mean that someone else wouldn't come looking for them. After discussing moving with Haru, Yuki chose a place for them to move to in a small, secluded town that had already been searched. Tohru had reluctantly agreed to run away again, but she was sick of hiding. She just wanted a peaceful relationship. All she seemed to have was a shaky relationship with the man of her dreams though.

She knew Yuki had returned when she felt gentle arms encircle her and press her face against his chest. Her hands, seeming to work on their own accord without consulting her brain, grabbed his shirt, tugging him closer to her. Already aware of the reason for her crying, he simply held her as she cried. He was silent until her sobs had died down a bit. At least, she could hear him now. Tohru was sure he had been speaking for a while. She had watched his lips move, but none of his words had been audible under her weeping.

"We'll be together. We'll be together, I promise…" he repeated the words several times as reassurance for the both of them.

"Don't break your promise."

"I won't. Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen. We're just leaving as a precaution. Nobody is going to break what we have," he assured her.

Tohru nodded, trying to convince herself of the same in vain. Normally, she would have felt more secure after he had said such things, but even his voice had sounded dubious this time. He wasn't even looking her in the eyes. Before he could notice the brimming tears, she pressed her face onto his shoulder, keeping her eyes out of his sight. Her efforts were pointless. Yuki could feel the newly spilled tears as they left dark stains on his shirt. Worriedly, he stroked her back until he was satisfied by the disappearance of her tears.

"Hypothetically speaking, if you were to be alone, you'd still be capable of caring for yourself and the baby, right?" Yuki asked gently.

"Why would I be alone? Are you planning on leaving me?" Tohru questioned in a panicked frenzy.

"No, no!" Yuki denied quickly, "If Akito were to get you and you had to be alone for let's say a week, could you handle it?"

"If you promise to get me… I think I could… But just for a week! No more! Right?"

"Right," he agreed, but she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

He dried her eyes and peered at her for a moment before covering both of her cheeks with his hands and bringing his lips to hers. Her hands quickly flew to the back of his head, keeping him close to her as his lips pried hers open, getting them to part with minimal effort. He moved quickly, fiercely. She could feel her cheeks brighten to an unusual degree. None of their kisses had been like this before. He usually kissed her more calmly, slowly, and delicately. This was quite the opposite. When they broke apart, she could hardly get enough air. It took a couple of minutes before she could even speak.

"W-What was that?" she choked out between breaths.

"A 'just in case'" he responded seriously.

She giggled childishly. It was the only way she could keep from beginning to break down again as she realized that he was just as fretful as she was. He wasn't positive about anything. She could feel her heart thump painfully as this occurred to her. Tohru managed to calm herself and numb the pain a bit after a few deep breaths. By then, he had already had her back on the floor and had her shirt lifted a bit above her abdomen. Yuki pressed his lips gently to her skin a few inches above her navel. He kept his lips there for a moment before pulling back, dropping her shirt back down and helping her sit up again. Her cheeks were even redder than before.

"One for the baby too," he smiled.

"I thought I was special because I'd be the only one who got a kiss," she laughed, closing her eyes to lock the approaching tears in.

"You are special," he assured her, "But don't be greedy.

He chuckled before kissing her again, gentler this time. Tohru smiled in relief, and Yuki could feel some tension leave her body. He ended their kiss before she wound up gasping for air again and rested his forehead on her shoulder, still embracing her tightly. Tohru flushed as she sat there embarrassedly. Timidly, she raked her fingers through his hair, comforting him for once. She wrapped her other arm around his upper back, clinging to him possessively. Yuki smiled, though she couldn't see, and tightened the hold he had around her waist.

"You better come back to me. I'm not going to raise our child alone, Yuki," Tohru warned slowly.

"Of course."

"And I-I'm not giving birth without you… I-I can't… And I don't want our baby to open her eyes for the first time and not see you," she whispered with tears dripping down her face.

"I'll be there. I promise."

"Good."

Yuki grinned at her with confidence. He might not have been positive that they'd be reunited within a week, but he doubted they'd still be separated after a year. Either he would have persuaded his mother to let him be with Tohru or he had annoyed his mother enough that she didn't even want him in her home anymore. Regardless of which, he knew he could take Tohru back from Akito with little trouble. Tohru returned his smile, comforted by the aura of conviction that coated his words.

"Just don't tell anyone you're pregnant if we are separated for a bit," Yuki advised.

She nodded, knowing he was referring to Akito.

"Protect yourself… Protect our baby if I'm not there…" he pled.

"I-I will," she stuttered over tears.

Tohru could feel him trying to say goodbye indirectly, and she didn't like it. She shuddered slightly at the thought. Her breaths quickened and her heart beat unsteadily. She bit her bottom lip, fighting the urge to cry again. Her eyes misted over, regardless. Tohru wasn't ready to say goodbye. If he thought they were going to get separated if they left, why couldn't they just continue to hide here? She released a shallow breath and grasped his shirt firmly, afraid that if she let go, they really would be parted.

"I love you," he added firmly as he embraced her.

"I love you more…" she murmured.

"I'll let you win this one time… But just for now, okay?"

She laughed. He knew just how to lighten her mood. However, his reluctance to argue with her over this raised her level of concern. It was a red flag, alerting her of their imminent parting. Tohru had thought of it simply as a possibility moments ago, but with his attitude now, she was sure their separation was inevitable. All she could hope for now was that their split wouldn't last too long and that their reunion would come quickly. She was terrified of the idea of not being with him for any period of time. It would be the same as trying to live without her heart.

"I don't think I can live without you, Yuki…" Tohru breathed.

"Don't say that. You can…" Yuki disagreed staunchly.

"But I wouldn't want to…"

"_I_ would want you to," he told her firmly.

"Why would you want me to suffer without you?" Tohru asked.

"I don't want you to suffer. It wouldn't be that bad without me, Tohru."

Tohru shook her head in dissent. If he was trying to comfort her, he'd have to come up with a better lie than that. That or he still didn't think her feelings compared to his. She knew very well how it felt to be away from him. She was familiar with the burning sensation that engulfed her heart when she was unsure of whether she'd see him again or not. If all she felt was that burnt heart of hers, she'd agree with him, but it was so much worse than that. There wouldn't be a single cell of hers that didn't throb and shake with pain.

"Would you want to live without me?" Tohru inquired in a slightly hurt voice.

"No… But that's different."

"How?"

"I-It just is. I have nothing to live for besides you. No one loves me other than you. My family doesn't love me. Yours does," Yuki pointed out.

"Without you, does that matter?"

"Yes, yes, it does, Tohru. I'm not your life, but you're mine. Nothing else matters to me… I matter to no one else. It's not like that for you, and it shouldn't be."

He didn't want her to die just because they weren't together. She had siblings that loved her. Her parents had cherished her. Not a single one of them would want her to end her life simply because of him. More than anything else, Yuki wanted her to live the rest of her life. He was aware that he wasn't the only thing that made her happy, though she was for him. He had nothing worthwhile to endure life for if she weren't with him. His family despised him. She was the only one who truly accepted him completely for who he was.

"It _is_ that way for me," Tohru disagreed.

Taking one glance at her wet eyes, Yuki changed the subject before he made her cry again, "Come on, Tohru. Let's get ready to go. We're going to be late."

Tohru tightened her grip around him, shaking her head slowly. She wasn't ready to leave now, not after all that farewell talk. He pressed her head to his shoulder, kissing her hair. She wasn't sure how long they sat there, but when she stood again, her legs ached after sitting for so long. He kept her securely at his side, although both of his hands were locked around suitcase handles. She kept her arms around his waist instead, seeing as he refused to let her carry anything.

Uo and Hana were standing down there, waiting for them when they finally came down, regardless of how late – or more accurately how early- it was. Neither said anything, simply embracing Tohru when they saw her and nodding politely at Yuki. It was hard for Tohru to refrain from crying again. Uo and Hana felt more like friends she had had since her childhood rather than two women she met a few months ago. She stared at her feet solemnly, hating the fact that she had lied to them about who she was.

"Watch her for a minute while I get the last suitcase, please?" Yuki asked.

"Of course," Uo and Hana responded simultaneously.

"Don't let her out of your sight," Yuki warned.

He peered at Tohru hesitantly, debating whether to take her back with him or not. He'd feel more secure with her constantly at his side, but she looked so tired that he couldn't force her to take another journey. It was late. Hours past the usual time that she'd go to sleep. Yuki could see how difficult it was getting for her to even keep her eyes open. Tohru smiled at him as reassurance. She knew he worried for her, but she'd rather he not treat her as a child. Maybe she wasn't as strong as he was, nor as quick, but surely he could trust her enough to stay out of trouble for a couple of minutes.

"I'll be fine on my own for a few minutes," Tohru assured him.

"You can scream if you need me. I'll promise I'll come as quickly as humanely possible," Yuki vowed.

"Yes. I can scream on my own, thank you very much. You'll only be gone for a few minutes. I'll be fine," she repeated.

"And I thought you were the worrier," Yuki teased, partly surprised by her bravery.

"Right! So can I have another 'just in case'?"

Yuki laughed but obeyed before he rushed off to get their last bag. Tohru took a deep breath as she watched him disappear into the darkness of the suddenly foreboding hallway. She could see the corridor as a monster swallowing up Yuki. The chandelier was its sharp teeth and the red carpeting its tongue. She swallowed nervously before shaking her head to clear her mind of her frightening thoughts. Tohru waited patiently for a minute, rocking herself back and forth on her heels. Glancing out the windows and back at the bags, she decided she'd help Yuki just a bit. She knew he hated to let her do any work, but she could tell that he was just as tired as she was, regardless of what he said.

"I'm going to move our bags outside, I'll be back soon," Tohru told Uo and Hana.

"Then we're going with you," Uo told her.

"No, no! That's okay! You don't need to! Yuki worries too much. I can stand outside on my own without getting kidnapped! I just want some fresh air. I'll be all right. Just tell Yuki I'm waiting for him there, okay? You guys aren't dressed warmly enough. You'll catch a cold," Tohru added worriedly.

"We can get jackets… We'll see you in a minute, okay?"

Tohru nodded a bit reluctantly. She watched them go for a second before taking the heavy suitcases in hand and carrying them outside. She left the luggage at her feet and stood there, letting the wind toss her hair about and the chilly, night breeze cool her warm face. Tohru sighed and turned back to face the glass doors, waiting for Uo and Hana to come or Yuki. All were taking an unusually long time, or she was just being incredibly impatient. She frowned sadly, whispering goodbye to the building that had been her home for the past few months. She'd miss it dearly.

Completely absorbed in her farewell, she jumped a couple of feet when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around with a small smile, assuming it to be Yuki or her friends, but she was taken aback by the dark eyes that stared back at her with a wicked smile. She froze, gaping at him. Starting to tremble, she backed away slowly, but he caught her by the hand, yanking her closer to him. Tohru knew she was supposed to yell for Yuki, but it turned out to be difficult to remember how to do so with the incarnation of evil standing inches from her.

"Hello, Tohru… I almost didn't recognize you with your new hairstyle," Akito cooed in an ominous voice.

She swallowed apprehensively, trying to prepare herself for a scream, but her throat suddenly felt dry and her voice impossibly small. Her strength seemed to vanish as well as she noticed the five tall, muscular men surrounding Akito. Taking a fleeting glance at the still lobby, she wondered where Yuki was, partly wishing he was here. She quickly changed her mind when she remembered the guards around Akito, praying that Yuki would remain safe instead. Tohru didn't want her love anywhere near a vengeful Akito. Besides, it remained her request that he take no part in protecting her.

"Aren't you going to greet me?" Akito demanded.

Tohru looked downcast stubbornly, refusing.

"Doesn't matter. We'll have plenty of time for chitchat back at _home_."

Tohru looked up just in time to see one the guards toss her over his shoulder, gripping her legs with her upper half dangling on his back. Finding her voice, she screamed shrilly and kicked with all her strength, but her legs wouldn't budge. Tohru tried to hit him with her fists, but those were soon restrained too. All she could do was continue to shriek as she was carried away. Only one of the men followed, the other three staying with Akito.

She gasped suddenly and began to flail with more effort. She couldn't help but imagine that they were staying to hurt Yuki. She squirmed around helplessly. Tohru glared at them, but neither looked her way. Tohru nearly died when she saw the door open and Yuki run out furiously. There was a mixture of shock and horror on his face as well. Clearly he wasn't suspecting that Akito would be here. He stared at her momentarily, concerned, before anger overtook him, and he lifted Akito up by the collar of his shirt.

"Let. Her. Go," he demanded angrily.

"I wouldn't be so rough," Akito smirked.

The men with her stopped and turned around. Whoever was carrying her lowered her to her feet and pressed something cold to her temple. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see that it was a gun. She glanced at Yuki with wide eyes. She had been trying to suppress her fear, but she knew that was impossible with how she was shaking. There was even a soft, uncontrollable whimper coming out of her throat. If she wasn't being held up, she was sure she'd be on the ground now. Her buckling legs sure weren't supporting her.

Yuki dropped Akito instantly, his eyes pleading with the men holding her. His gray eyes seemed to be filled with more terror than her own. He had his hands clenched tightly in fists and was nearly trembling from his desire to attack Akito. Even from where she was, Tohru could see that the tight skin pulled over his knuckles was pure white. She forced her lips up into a weak smile, trying to cheer him, but that only seemed to upset him further.

"Don't hurt her," he begged.

Akito sneered at Yuki as he dusted off his black pants. He waved his hand at the men beside Tohru, signaling them that their precaution was unnecessary now. The gun lowered immediately, but the color didn't return to her face as she was lifted up again. This time they didn't move though. She was just held very tightly, unable to move, and the gun was still held within her eyeshot. Tohru tore her eyes off the weapon, forcing herself to check up on Yuki. She strained her ears to hear the quiet conversation between Yuki and Akito.

"Let her go… I won't do anything… I promise. You can do whatever you like to me. Blame it all on me. She did nothing wrong. It was my idea to come here. It's completely my fault. Just leave her alone," Yuki whispered.

"No!" Tohru screeched, "Don't do it, Yuki! NO!"

"I love you, Tohru," he responded simply.

She gasped as Akito smiled and threw his fist at Yuki's face. Tohru screamed, thrashing about forcefully with no success. All her limbs were restrained by unyielding hands. Determined, she bit down on the arm of the man who was holding onto her right hand. He flinched and nearly struck at her while another one of them fired at her. She shrieked as the bullet whizzed by her face, missing her forehead by a few inches. The sound was deafening, and she could hardly hear Yuki's shouts of protest and fury.

Akito punched Yuki again, in the gut this time.

"Stop it!!!" Tohru wailed, "STOP! Leave him alone!"

She was ignored, as were the tears that were streaming down her face. Tohru could hardly see anymore with the blinding layers of tears before her eyes, but she could hear that Uo and Hana were here. They too were restrained by the sounds of their shouts. Her sobs turned into hysterics as she heard more thuds of harsh attacks. She couldn't hear any resistance. Only groans and grunts of pain, but even those could hardly be heard. This was exactly what she was afraid would happen. This was exactly what she didn't want to happen. Yuki would get hurt to some unknown degree, and she'd be left worrying as she was taken away.

Tohru screamed, "Don't hurt him! Don't! Hurt me! Hit me instead!"

Nobody listened to her. She turned to Yuki. He'd listen to her.

"Yuki! STOP IT! They can have me! Fight back! Let them hurt me! Stop letting him hit you! Let them hurt me!"

"I can't do that… I'm sorry… I can't jeopardize you…" Yuki responded slowly, painfully.

"YUKI! Jeopardize me! I don't care!"

He didn't reply. Tohru couldn't even say anything coherent anymore. She just wanted to help him. Suddenly jerking to her left, she managed to catch one of the guards off guard and free one of her feet. She stomped with all her might on the large foot of the man holding her arms. He let go of her out of shock more than pain, and then the man holding her other foot released her as she began to fall. Tohru managed to catch herself and fled, running towards Yuki instead of away as they had expected. So as their arms reached in all the wrong directions, she got to Yuki's side.

She threw herself between Yuki's bent over body and Akito's makeshift weapon, but Yuki reacted quicker than she thought possible. In a flash, she was locked in his embrace with her back on the ground, and he was the one blocking the attack. Her heart tore apart as she watched him grimace in pain. His arms quivered but were still locked around her protectively. Tohru couldn't even move in his hold. She was sure she had just caused him more pain. He could have blocked the attack had he not been shielding her from it.

"Yuki-Yuki! I-I'm sorry!" she sobbed.

"Don't be."

She could feel a fleeting kiss on her cheek before she was torn away from him. Tohru squirmed in the arms of whoever was dragging her off. She swore she had landed a kick somewhere, but he didn't seem the least bit fazed by her attack. Tears were bubbling down her cheeks, leaving a trail away from Yuki. She screamed and hollered, but nothing kept her where she was. Within a minute, she was back to where she had come from, and this time she doubted she could escape. She wished they weren't gripping her hands so tightly. She wanted to cover her ears. She couldn't bear to listen to every strike. With no vocal responses from Yuki, Tohru began to panic, left with no indications as to whether he was alive or dead.

"Yuki… Yuki… Yuki…" she wept continuously.

Tohru could have sworn she heard him whisper her name back, but it was too quiet for her to be able to differentiate it from her imagination and reality.

When the sounds of beating faded, Tohru shrieked once she was thrown back up onto someone's shoulder and started to be taken away again. She wiped her tears on the man's shirt and stared horrified at the scene she could finally see. Her Yuki was covered in blood. He was leaning against the building, unable to support his own weight. Even so, his legs were buckling weakly. He was breathing heavily, watching her go helplessly. His fingers twitched towards her, and she could see his mouth whisper an apology even if she couldn't hear it. His hand reached for her, extending, but as his body left the wall, he staggered over, falling to his knees.

"YUKI!" Tohru screamed.

She watched him fade into the distance sadly and disappear completely as they turned a corner. Her tears increased as she was thrown into the backseat of the car. Tohru could hardly breathe properly anymore. Her breaths came out shallow, and she hardly got enough oxygen. She was surrounded by two guards who held onto her arms and legs.

Tohru didn't care anymore. It didn't matter what they were planning to do to her. Nothing mattered. Life was over. She had no idea what was to become of her Yuki. Her worst nightmare had come true.

Akito entered and sat in the front seat. She could tell it was him and not just another black colored splotch by his wicked laugh. With pure hatred and disgust, she turned her head away from him. He laughed at her and tossed something reddish at her. It landed on her lap, and she could barely recognize it as a blood-soaked napkin. It was Yuki's blood, the warm liquid that had left Yuki's body and clung to Akito's knuckles. Tohru stared at it, petrified. Her heart lurched painfully, crashing against her ribcage.

"There. Now you have something of your precious Yuki," Akito snickered.

Akito eyed the human shackles around Tohru's wrists and ankles curiously as he watched Tohru attempt to grab the napkin. Tears filled her eyes as she realized they wouldn't allow her. There was too much blood. She had seen the red sidewalk Yuki had been lying on before she was forced away. Whatever tears she had managed to hold in gushed out. She barely managed to keep from choking on her sobs. Akito reached for her, catching hold of a few strands of her hair. Tohru swatted his hand away angrily, but he just laughed at her.

"You may release her. She's not stupid enough to try to escape," Akito ordered as the car began to move.

As soon as they freed her, Tohru lunged forward angrily, "You're despicable! Attacking someone when he isn't even defending himself!"

"I didn't stop him from fighting or retaliating. I didn't tie him up, now did I?"

"You used me! You used his love for me against him! You're a coward! You won't fight him without an advantage! You knew he wouldn't fight back if I were in danger! He loves me more than you ever could!" Tohru cried.

"Oh shut up already. I never claimed to love you at all," Akito muttered as he stuffed his fingers into his ears.

Tohru sniffled sadly and swiped at her watery eyes. She shook off one of the guard's hands as he tried to pull her back into her seat. Within minutes, she regretted her actions as the car sped across a speed bump. She flew into the armrest swiftly. Tohru was sure she would have flown out the windshield had the two guards sitting with her not caught hold of her arms. Regardless, she remained seated on the edge of her seat, not done yelling yet.

"I won't forgive you if Yuki is hurt! I won't!" Tohru sobbed.

"Funny… I don't remember asking for your forgiveness," Akito smirked.

"You're just a cruel, heartless, evil man!"

"And what are you? A dimwitted, friendly tramp? We're a perfect match."

"I am not a tramp!" Tohru snapped, offended.

"I disagree with that. Did you or did you not sleep with _Yuki_, a man other than I, your fiancé?" Akito questioned coldly.

Tohru frowned, not responding. Akito turned around and faced her with a wry smile. His fingers latched themselves to her chin, yanking her face close to his. Tohru tried to break his hold, but she couldn't budge an inch. Instead, she grimaced, trying her best not to show how frightened she was. She gritted her teeth together and fought to keep a fierce look across her face. Tohru didn't want to give him the impression that he could easily take advantage of her as he had done on New Year's Eve.

"That's what I thought, slut. And you're pregnant too, yes?"

"I- I am not!" Tohru denied quickly, remembering Yuki's warning.

"You aren't?" Akito questioned, raising his dark eyebrows at her.

She shook her head vehemently.

"Someone's lying. Now is it you or Motoko?" Akito demanded.

Tohru shook slightly, praying she wouldn't be caught. She had never been a talented liar. Keeping her eyes downward, she didn't say anything. Akito turned around in his seat and shrugged after releasing her. Tohru slid towards the back of her seat, wanting to put as much distance between her and Akito as she possibly could. She folded her arms across her chest firmly. She didn't want to hurt Yuki again with any unnecessary betrayal.

"Well see," Akito murmured.

She ignored him. Tohru sat in complete silence, hearing none of the conversations bustling through the vehicle. Her thoughts were trapped with Yuki, and they never left through the twelve hour journey to Akito's home. His name was a mantra in her head, ceaseless, an endless beat as were her prayers for his wellbeing. Tears never stopped dwindling down her cheeks. She didn't even notice she had fallen asleep until she awoke in her new _home_.

---

Yuki let out a frustrated breath as he slipped on his shirt and yanked an IV out of his arm. The hospital attendee worriedly followed him out the door. A doctor had recently finished bandaging his wounds and stitching together a large gash across his back. He had been given orders to remain in the hospital for some time, but Yuki was hardly listening.

"Shut up. Quit following me," Yuki muttered angrily as he stormed down the hall.

"But the doctor's orders-"

"I don't care."

"Security will catch you."

Yuki didn't hesitate as he continued down the hallway and skidded around the corner rashly. He darted straight past the elevator and bolted down the stairs, ignoring the throbbing sensation radiating from his back. The assistant could hardly keep up with him nor could security locate him quickly enough. By the time they did catch sight of him, he was already at the front door, but nobody took a step towards him. Yuki hurried down the sidewalk without a pause. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible, and nothing was going to stop him.

Tohru needed him.

To his delight, nobody followed him anymore. They were all too distracted.

The presence of the queen at the revolving doors stunned them all into stillness.

"Don't worry. We're capable of caring for my son back home," she declared to everyone.

She waved at them briefly before chasing after Yuki. Yuki ignored her pleas for him to stop along with the gasps of shocks from every citizen within hearing range. His mother followed to his dismay. Yuki groaned after a few more steps. He didn't need his mother to bother him now. He was very well aware of her feelings toward Tohru, and he doubted he'd be allowed to rescue Tohru with her around. Yuki quickened his pace, hoping to lose her, but she kept up amazingly well, even in those high heels of hers.

"I'm not going home with you, mother," Yuki told her.

"Then may I inquire where you are headed?"

"I'm going to save Tohru. She's scared out of her mind now. I can tell," Yuki admitted.

"Yuki, she's engaged to someone else. Your little game of house is over."

"But she's _married_ to me."

"Yuki, you are going to marry Machi."

Yuki shook his head in refusal, cringing at the thought of marrying Machi and leaving a miserable Tohru in the hands of such a wretched man. She'd have to drug him until he was barely alive and forge his signature onto the marriage documents if she wanted him to get married to someone other than Tohru. There was no way he was going to marry Machi on his own. He wasn't consoled by his stubbornness. His mother would do anything short of killing him to get the marriage established, even if what she was doing was illegal.

"You're only getting out of it if you're dead."

"Then I'll die," Yuki concluded nonchalantly.

"Yuki, I'm not forbidding you from seeing_ her_. You'll just have to compromise with Akito. You guys can share or whatnot."

"I'm not sharing her. Tohru is mine and mine alone."

Yuki continued walking down the sidewalk as his mother stopped at the fancy car awaiting her. The chauffeur stepped out of the driver's seat and held the door open for the two of them. Yuki brushed past the driver, despite the fact that a car would provide him with much faster transportation than his walking. He knew better than to take his mother's generosity. There was always a catch with her assistance. With a ride, he may be able to get back quicker, but that didn't necessarily mean closer to Tohru. In his home, he'd be further from saving Tohru than he was here.

"Come on, Yuki. What are you going to do? Walk back?"

"Yes," Yuki responded.

"You're being unreasonable as always!"

"And guess who I got that from," Yuki mumbled.

"Yuki, you can come willingly, or I can make you."

"Make me. You're not getting me in there with you any other way."

"You know, I'm quite close to Akito-san. He wouldn't mind doing me a favor. And what do you know, he has Tohru-chan right with him," she cooed.

Yuki froze in his step. Angrily, he turned around to confront his mother. He didn't understand why everyone felt compelled to bring Tohru's pain into everything. She hardly deserved to be used as something for people to use against him. Yuki glared at his mother. His face twisted with fury and agony. His mother couldn't have picked a better topic to use to manipulate him. There was no way he could let Tohru be harmed in any way. He couldn't even think very clearly when Tohru was involved.

"Leave her out of this!" Yuki snapped sharply.

"I could if you came with me."

He glowered but obeyed, stiffly walking back into the car. His mother smiled as he climbed into the car. She slid in next to him, ignoring him as he scooted to the edge of the seat, as far from her as possible. Yuki crossed his arms and sat there grudgingly as the car backed out of the parking spot and raced down the empty roads. He glared at the gray pavement slipping past and dug his nails into the seat, misdirecting his anger. Yuki tore his mother's hand from his shoulder when she tried to comfort him.

"When will you learn, Yuki? Love is a snare. Now that it has you in its grasp, you will do anything for her, won't you?"

Yuki reluctantly agreed with her guess.

"So you're just my puppet now," she smiled wickedly.

"Don't use her! She's a person, not your tool to make me obey!" Yuki snarled furiously.

"Well if you'd just be more obedient I wouldn't have to."

Yuki turned his whole body away from her, enraged, despite how the seatbelt dug painfully into his side when he sat like that. He didn't budge the whole journey, not even when they stopped for food.

---

Tohru regained conscious in an unfamiliar, spacious room. She sat upright on the double bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. The room was dark. All the shades were drawn shut.

"Where am I?" she murmured to herself.

She swung her legs off the bed, finding herself in a long, white, night gown. The lacy hem touched the ground, and the gown was held up by thin straps on her bare shoulders. Tohru placed her arms around her chest self-consciously. The material was nearly translucent. She shivered and stood up, looking around the room curiously. Tohru walked over to a nearby window, lifting the shades and stared out at the strange scenery. This wasn't her home. This wasn't even her town.

"I see you're finally awake… Welcome to your new home, Tohru Honda."

Tohru gasped and turned around frantically. She hadn't heard someone come in. The darkness of the corner he was standing in kept his face a secret, but that voice had been burned into her memory. From the simple sound of his voice, her body trembled and she shook violently. Tears began rolling down the sides of her face. She backed away into the corner when she saw him stand up. Wrong move. As he stepped closer, she had nowhere to go. He was quiet as he approached her, and for a second, the sunlight from a crack in the shades lit up the cruel twist of his smile.

She pressed herself as far back as she could until her back was squeezed against the walls. She pulled her knees up against her body, making them a protective wall before her. Her eyes widened when Akito was five feet from her and then shut in terror. Tohru bit her lip until she could taste blood, awaiting her terrible fate. She quivered fearfully until she felt him reach forward and pat her head three times.

"Don't worry, my little pumpkin. We have the rest of our lives to have _fun. _No need to rush," he crooned in a cold eerie voice.

"No…"

"What did you say?!"

"No! No! NO! Let me out! I want to go back to Yuki!" Tohru wailed.

"You want to leave?"

Tohru nodded, sniffling quietly.

"All right then…" he responded, pulling her up by her elbow.

Tohru stumbled forward, tripping over her own feet. He released her for a brief moment, only long enough to push open the window. Akito grabbed her again and shoved her halfway out the window. She stared at the ground, which seemed to be farther and farther away after each blink. Tohru was only hanging on by her feet. Her arms swung around wildly, trying to find something to grab onto. He held onto her hips loosely when her feet left the ground. The wind tossed her hair around, nipping at her face, and only now did she realize her fear of heights. Akito let her dangle for a minute before pulling her back inside. Tohru fell to the floor, terrified.

"You're free to leave whenever you like. I'll even leave the window open for you," he smirked, grinning with amusement.

He laughed before exiting the room. Tohru huddled against the wall, covering her face with both of her hands and allowed the endless tears to seep out. Memories of her last incident with Akito came rushing back to her, making her weep louder. This time, it would be worse. She was pregnant, and she didn't want to think about what he would do when he found out. Especially since it was Yuki's child. She thought of Yuki and wished he would save her, but then again, he had no clue as to where she was. Plus, he was hurt.

---

Yuki slowly opened his eyes, finding himself back in his room, a place he hadn't been in for a long time. He tried to move, but his legs and the rest of his body were sore. A groan escaped his lips. He had to help Tohru. Who knew what kinds of things were being done to his love. Yuki forced himself to sit up and stared at his jail cell.

Thick metal rods were placed on the outside of his windows about an inch apart from the next. Even a pair of guards stood next to his door, which had at least ten bolts and locks. He attempted to lift his arm but found it chained to the bed post by a thick, two foot long chain. He yanked his wrist, scraping the chains against the wood, making a loud screeching sound. Yuki pulled harder, but the chains held, tugging back at his arm. Yuki sighed and patted his back pocket, relieved to feel the outline of his cell phone.

He peered around helplessly for a moment before he dropped back down onto his mattress. He wished he were still asleep. At least he could be with Tohru in his dreams.

It was the dead of night before Yuki dared to make a sound.

He heard the soft snoring of the guards that were supposedly watching him as he began working his way through the bed post. As quietly as possible, he pulled on the chain, rubbing it harshly against the thick wood. Every time he heard a noise, he would feign sleep, but once the stillness returned he got back to work. Yuki didn't want to let Tohru think he had given up. That was the last thing he wanted. Actually, the real last thing he wanted was to marry Machi and be separated from Tohru. He kept at it until daybreak. His progress was little, but the work left him tired and his wrists red. Yuki fell into a deep slumber almost instantly, sleeping well into the evening.

When he awoke, his mother was sitting there, waiting for him. He kept his eyes shut and stayed completely quiet in hope that she would vanish, but she had seen him open his eyes and wasn't the least bit fooled by his act.

"Hello, Yuki. I have good news for you. Machi-chan is quite willing to accept you back after your rendezvous with Tohru."

Her voice still sent shivers up his spine. He kept quiet, deciding it was better not to reply.

"Fine. I'll talk about something you like. How were your months with Tohru?" she asked, happily laying down a trap she knew he would fall in.

Yuki ignored her comment, but she saw him flinch and smiled maliciously. He stared up at the ceiling, refusing to answer her no matter what she asked, but she wouldn't back down. She knew him well enough to know how to get him to open up. Yuki continued to think that she wasn't there, but it didn't go well since she mentioned Tohru in every sentence. The insults and accusations directed at Tohru were irritating him to no end.

"What do you want, mother?" Yuki finally asked.

"Nothing. I'm your mother. Can't I talk to my own son?"

"Nothing, huh? So you don't want me to marry Machi?"

She grew silent, her anger now filling the surrounding air. He pushed himself up on his bed so he could see her. His gray eyes locked with her icy ones with determination. Her lips straightened out into a straight line, staring back at him cruelly. Slowly, she tapped her fingernails on the wood of the chair in a steady beat, too enraged to speak. Yuki lifted his arm, and the clamoring of the chains against the wood rang in the air. She watched with her eyebrows raised as he gestured to the windows and the guards.

"Isn't this going too far? Look around this room. This is a prison. The windows have bars, and I'm locked to the bed. And you still call me your son?" Yuki questioned in a bitter tone coated with hatred.

Without wasting a moment, she slapped him across the face. She stood up abruptly, knocking over her chair. Her arm was still shaking as she made her way to the door. Yuki sat there, facing the wall, his cheek reddening. The room grew extremely quiet, not even the guards were talking anymore. They sat there in awe. Everyone outside his room froze too. The crack of her slap had been heard throughout the castle. Slowly his fingers grazed his cheek, and pain streamed over his body.

Yuki dropped back down on his bed, releasing a sigh. There was no way to get through to her. It was a hopeless case, but he wouldn't give up. The least he could do was keep his promise to Tohru. He couldn't give up. If he did, what was keeping Tohru from doing the same? For hours, Yuki came up with dozens of escape plans, but in the end, he knew he'd just be brought back home. He needed a way to convince his mother to do as he pleased. His father seemed like the first step.

Now all he had to do was wait for his father to pay him a visit.

---

Tohru awoke with a start. She sat upright, peering around the room in a disoriented manner until she realized she had fallen asleep on the floor. Her body was ached from remaining in that awkward position in the corner for too long. Climbing back onto her feet, she shivered as she wandered over to the wide open window. She glanced down fearfully. This had to be the highest room in the palace. The ground below looked so comforting, as if it would cushion her if she jumped, but she knew better. If it was safe to jump, then Akito wouldn't have mentioned it. A fall from here was a guaranteed death, and she didn't want to die. Not without at least saying farewell to Yuki and her family, but now she had another reason. Her child. With that thought, she shut the window and locked it. Tohru couldn't let her first child die.

"What am I going to do mom?" she whispered, gazing out at the sunset.

She groaned and shook her head, wondering why she always turned to the deceased for help when she knew that they wouldn't be of any assistance in this situation. Tohru took a deep breath to calm herself and wondered if Yuki was seeing the same colors of the setting sun as she was. They always used to watch sunsets together. If she wasn't so flustered, she might have enjoyed the beautiful scene before her as she usually did.

Meanwhile, Yuki peered at the rainbow of colors surrounding the sun. He slowly lifted his arm to the glass, but the metal chains pulled his wrist back towards the bed. Reluctantly, he let his fingers slide down the glass and drop back down to his sides. Being locked up was a harsh punishment, even more so than having to marry Machi. Here, he felt weak and helpless, like he couldn't do a thing to prevent the events he knew would unfold. He needed to keep the wedding off and freeing himself didn't sound half bad either.

He fell onto the bed, thinking about how Tohru could be doing as he drifted off to a state of half conscious.

Yuki's eyes snapped open in the middle of the night to the jingling of keys and his door opening. He looked at the clock. It was a quarter to four in the morning, an odd time for guards to switch shifts. Another man didn't come to replace the two guards until four. So if he was correct, he had fifteen minutes to do as he pleased. His assumptions were proven correct, every morning he awoke to the same sounds. If he played his cards right, that would be the time to escape.

---

Tohru was relieved.

For a whole week Akito hadn't come for a visit. Her chamber had all she needed, a bathroom, in case she felt sick, and though she was locked inside, food was still provided. She didn't feel comfortable eating his food, but her child needed it, and she had promised Yuki she'd take care of herself. She also needed her strength in case Akito tried anything. All she was missing was Yuki, but that was a big enough chunk of her that she felt empty inside, and the void grew with each passing second. She was sure she would have gone insane if she weren't carrying that little part of him in her abdomen.

There, in the room, she remained, just surviving with nothing to do. Nobody was there to talk to. No Yuki. There was nothing. From the start of her day to finish, she'd have three meals, bathe, and clean the already clean room. Most of the time she spent caring for herself and the unborn child as she thought of Yuki.

She had never felt so lonely in her life. She missed him. She missed being by his side, hearing his voice, seeing his face. She simply missed him so much it hurt inside. Tohru felt deprived of her love. But there was nothing she could do, so she shifted her thoughts to her family and realized that she missed Haru and Kisa as well.

---

Yuki waited, waited for seven days until his father decided to see him. He had been completely alone for 168 hours with the guards who never spoke as companions. Time passed extremely slowly when one couldn't move farther than two feet from his bed.

He paced around the ground he could touch with the chains dragging along with him until they reached their limit and pulled him back. Yuki did this half to think and half to annoy the guards that kept him in here. That was what he was doing when his father finally entered. The door creaked open, and a path of light from the bright hallway lit the dark room. For a second Yuki was blinded after having sat in darkness for so long. His father approached him silently, putting his hand on Yuki's shoulder.

"Took you a week to finally come pay me a visit in this miniature prison?" Yuki asked immediately.

"Yuki, this isn't a jail. It's still your room."

"Really? I couldn't tell the difference. They're both used to hold people in and keep them from leaving. And look! I even get to be chained down like a real criminal!" Yuki exclaimed in a sarcastic voice.

"I'm sorry… Really, I am. But this wasn't my decision."

"I thought _you_ were the _king_," Yuki commented dully.

He looked the older man in the eye, his silver bangs concealing his urgency to get out of this place. His father glanced at the door, patting his son on the knee. Yuki moved away, knowing at once he'd be alone in his escape. Without a word or sound, just with a simple gesture, he told that to Yuki. Yuki couldn't help but feel a tinge of hatred towards him. All he wanted was a little assistance. He wasn't asking that his father endanger his life him. Yuki just wanted a little key to free his arm.

"I can't help you, but I will tell you that in a week your mother plans to have you wed to Machi," he informed Yuki.

Yuki winced, seriously worried now.

"I can't marry her… I really can't…" Yuki breathed before deciding to confess, "Tohru is my wife, dad… And she's pregnant. She's pregnant, and I'm not even there to help her. I can't betray her and marry someone else. She's carrying my child, your grandchild."

"It was your choice to give into temptation and have intercourse. I don't see how it involves me… Look, if it was up to me, then I'd let you marry whomever you want," he admitted.

Yuki was left there alone. If anything, his father's visit had made him feel worse. He felt the urge to call the guard over, punch him, steal his keys, and break out. But in the end, it was obvious that escape would only be a temporary solution. Instead, he spent the next three nights working away at the metal and memorizing the guards' movements when they switched. The first guards left and go to the right, and new guards arrive from the left fifteen minutes later. To leave unnoticed, he would have to go right and leave that way, he figured. Satisfactorily, he nodded and let himself have a well deserved sleep.

---

Twitching in her bed, Tohru awoke to someone fiddling with the buttons of her blouse. Tohru jumped back, clasping her hand over her half opened top. Akito looked over at her with an amused expression. She backed away slowly, holding her shirt together, too scared to re-button her blouse. He reached forward, taking her chin in his hands, forcing her to look at him. His arm swept around her back and pulled her towards him.

"Shame, isn't it? I wanted to be the first one with my little toy… Too bad she's not the innocent virgin I thought her to be… Why did I pick such a whore?" Akito mused to himself.

Tohru didn't say anything, which seemed to anger him further. He grabbed onto her silky brown locks, yanking on them viciously. Tohru felt her scalp burn with pain and she winced. She felt tears bubble out from the tight grip he had on her hair. He peered at her, waiting some other response, but he had frightened all coherent thoughts out of her head. Tohru clawed helplessly at the air, begging to be released, but Akito simply snickered at her, enjoying her pain.

"It's your fault, you know. No protection… How stupid…" he muttered.

She trembled. He snickered, loosening his grip. As his fingers slowly freed themselves from her locks of hair, Tohru watched a few fallen strands flutter to the bed. She dropped down on her face after his last finger slid through her tangled hair. Her hands grasped the top of her head, seeking an end to the fiery pain that made her wince. Teary eyed, she looked up at him. Akito flipped her over and placed his hand on her still flat stomach.

"Pity, you think he'll still love you when you get fat and can hardly move? I'll tell you now, guys only like you because you're cute and thin. But those are going now. Ready to break up?" he questioned coldly.

"He- He's not like that!" Tohru choked out, feeling compelled to defend Yuki as best as she could.

"Did he tell you that he'd be there to support you and the baby? That's only because he doesn't know how fat you'll grow. Think about it. Guys only say _I love you_ to get a kiss and tongue action. Why do you think he asked you to run away with him? It's like a hotel. And then he asked you to marry him to give you the thought that he did love you, but I know all he wanted was sex. Sad that you believed him… Your fault you're pregnant."

"I-I'm not pregnant," she whispered.

She shook her head and covered her ears with her hands. She wanted to believe Yuki. She loved him with all her heart. Akito didn't know half the things Yuki had done that showed his feelings for her. Only a guy in love would do so much for one girl. Yuki could have had any other girl without lifting a finger, but he gave it his all to be with her. If that wasn't love then she wasn't sure what was. Akito patted her back, assuming she believed him and left her alone. She quivered, feeling the need to change her clothes now.

Tohru hated this place. None of these clothes were her own. The only thing that was clean was the white gown she had woken up in her first day here. She despised that thing almost as much as she loathed Akito, but she'd rather wear that than stay in clothing Akito had put his hands on. Uneasily, she slipped into the gown and crawled back under the securities of her makeshift bed, also known as the darkest corner of the room where she had laid down a comforter. She had left the pillows and fleece blankets on the bed, refusing to use anything more than she had to.

She laid there with a smile across her face. Akito couldn't be more wrong about Yuki. Tohru knew her husband better than anyone else. No one could possibly make her think of him as such a cruel man.

"Come save me, Yuki… Please… I'm waiting… with your baby…" Tohru breathed delicately, hoping somehow he could hear her.

Tohru sighed and lifted her head when the door opened. She watched a maid enter and set a food tray on the table before exiting. Getting onto her feet, she made her way over to the table and sat down. She lifted the small pastry off the tray and set it aside, along with the packets of salt and pepper. Tohru saw no need in those small luxuries. She wasn't here to be happy, but she had to eat to care for her child. Reluctantly, she chewed on her bread and started to eat the rest of her breakfast.

---

Tohru sat in the corner of the room, her face buried behind her arms, resting on her knees. Her body tensed, and she seemed to tremble when she heard the door open. She didn't look up, but her guests could see her knuckles turn white. They could clearly hear her muffled sobs grow louder with each step they took closer to her. And when they touched her shoulder, she flinched and nearly fell over before finally looking up. Her jaw dropped open and she stared in shock as she scrambled back onto her feet and saw who her guests were.

"Kisa-chan! Haru-nii!" Tohru exclaimed.

She embraced them both forcefully, crying all over again. They both peered at her fretfully as they held her. They were relieved to see her this healthy. They had expected much worse after they'd seen her nearly dead simply after she had thought Yuki wanted her no more. Tohru released them and dropped down onto her heels. She peered anxiously at them, grasping at their hands tightly.

"Yuki! How is he? Is he okay?" Tohru squeaked immediately.

"I can't say," Haru muttered.

Tohru's heart fluttered to a stop. She stared wide-eyed at them. Her breath caught in her throat, and she was no longer breathing. They only knew she was alive by the tremors shaking her body and the tears cascading down her cheeks. Her trembling hands reached for her quivering lips, steadying them as she choked back sobs. Haru's hand grasped her arm before her buckling knees sent her to the ground. She peered up at him, and every fiber of her being seemed to be pleading with him to answer her questions.

"Why? Is he alive? Tell me!" Tohru ordered frantically.

"…Yuki told me not to tell you," Haru replied a bit reluctantly.

"He's alive then!" Tohru cried excitedly.

"Yes," Haru confirmed.

"How bad is he?"

"Not bad enough to stop fussing over you. When I went to see him, he was pretty angry that I had no news about you," Haru admitted.

Tohru frowned as she wiped at her eyes. Hearing that he was still alive ended much of her concern, but it didn't relieve all of it. Knowing that Yuki was alive wasn't enough to satisfy her. Being alive could mean a lot of things. Yuki could be half dead but still considered alive. She wasn't silly enough to be hoping that he wasn't in any pain, but she needed to know how serious his injuries were. She trembled, clearly upset. It was the least they could do. They could make her time her a little better by telling her how Yuki was.

"Tell me."

"He'll kill me."

"Tell me," Tohru repeated.

Haru sighed in defeat, "Lots of cuts and bruises –nothing too serious, he insists. But he had to get stitches on his back."

Tohru gasped, crying again. Cuts and bruises she had expected, but she hadn't suspected anything deep enough that would require stitches, despite the fact that she had feared his death for the past several days. She dropped back down in her little corner of a bed and sat there, frozen in horror with tears dripping down her face. She shook her head a couple of times, denying his news. She was sure that wound on his back was her fault too. If she hadn't gotten in his way with her attempt to help him, he wouldn't have had to shield her. If she weren't there, there would have been no need for stitches.

"Don't cry. He's all right. He's still walking around and trying to escape. It'd take more than a couple of stitches to bother him."

"How many?" Tohru questioned, suspecting her brother of belittling her husband's injury.

"He has sixteen on his back, I think," Haru reluctantly told her.

Her tears steadily turned into hysterics. She wasn't sure how big a wound that required sixteen stitches would be, but the number seemed fairly large to her. Besides, Haru was only describing one of Yuki's injuries to her. What if Yuki had others that were worse? What if Haru was merely telling her about the least severe wound Yuki had just to comfort her? Her mind was tormenting her now, reeling in images of a hurt Yuki and manipulating the last condition she had seen Yuki in until the gore was making her nauseous.

"He's fine, really. He even told me you'd react this way. That's why I wasn't allowed to tell you… Settle down, Tohru. I'm not lying to you about that," Haru swore.

She nodded, swiping at the tears in vain. She knew he would live, but that type of _fine_ wasn't adequate for her. Tohru didn't want Yuki to be in any pain. She sniffled and covered her face, resisting the urge to cry with little success. Haru kneeled down in front of her, brushing his fingers across her hands. Tohru lowered her hands with a deep breath and let Kisa hold onto them, despite the fact that it served to be of little comfort. Kisa was just unintentionally reminding Tohru of how Yuki's hands felt around hers.

"How are _you_, Tohru?" Haru questioned softly, trying to distract her.

"I-I want Y-Yuki-kun…" Tohru whimpered.

"I'm sorry, Tohru… Are you okay besides that?"

"There's no besides that…." Tohru murmured with a shake of her head.

"… How are you physically?"

Tohru looked up at her older brother cautiously. How _was _she physically? She wasn't sure anymore. She barely even took notice of the days passing. They all seemed the same to her. The only reason she even bothered to take note of the time she spent here was that Yuki had promised they'd be apart for no more than a week. Tohru frowned at that thought. More than seven days had passed, she was sure. Frowning, she considered his question again, using it as the distraction it was meant to be. She decided to omit all her pain and suffering, but she was left with little to say.

"I-I'm p-pregnant…" Tohru finally confessed in a soft voice.

"What?!" Haru nearly shouted, "Did A- _he_ rape you?"

"No, no, no! Yuki- I mean… He didn't r-rape me either… No one raped me… It's just our baby… Mine and Y-Yuki's…" Tohru murmured in a nearly inaudible voice.

"Onee-chan? Are you okay?" Kisa inquired fretfully.

"No! I'm having a baby… I need Yuki… I don't want to do this without him…" Tohru choked out between her oncoming sobs, "I want Yuki! He's hurt, and it's all my fault!"

Haru and Kisa exchanged matching worried expressions as Tohru began to bawl again. They were clueless as to what to do. It had never been particularly difficult to cheer Tohru. The simplest things brought grins to her face, but in this case, hardly anything they did seemed to even make the faintest smile tug her lips upwards. The best they had done was stop her crying for mere minutes. Each brainstormed mentally for a way to end her tears this time, but it took minutes before one reached a solution.

Kisa tugged on Haru's pants excitedly when the idea came to her. He glanced at her expectantly and nearly laughed at the simplicity of the solution when she held her fist to her face with her pinky and thumb extended in the form of a telephone. Haru nodded in approval as he dug into his pants pocket in search of his cell phone. Kisa happily shook Tohru's shoulders to get her attention. Tohru wearily looked up and was shocked to find the electronic device inches from her face.

"He's fine… Call him if you'd like…" Haru muttered.

Tohru took it into her hands eagerly. Her fingers flew across the number pad at a nearly inhumane pace. She didn't even bother to figure out how his speed dial was set up. She knew the number by heart. The first ring was cut off as a soft, melodic voice greeted her. Nothing had ever sounded more beautiful to her than that simple greeting. She hadn't heard his voice in what seemed like ages. Tohru was so excited that she nearly forgot to greet him back. She fumbled for words awkwardly, trying to say something before he hung up.

"Y-Yuki-kun…" she choked out.

She could hear him gasp quietly, "Tohru!"

"Are you okay?!" Tohru blurted out before he could say anything more.

"I'm fine…" His voice was muted as if he were hiding something from her.

"You're lying! Tell me! If you were fine, you wouldn't need stitches!"

"Tohru, I mean it. I'm fine. Are you okay?"

Tohru scowled, but she was too overwhelmed by the fact that she was actually talking to Yuki to actually stay angry at him for not telling her the truth. She clutched the phone to her ear firmly in hope that it would never end. She relished at the sound of his even breathing. Even that was musical to her ears. Such simple actions she hadn't cherished until they were gone. Tohru grinned and wondered why he had stopped talking. It took her a second to realize that it was her turn to respond.

"No… I miss you…." Tohru told him.

"I miss you too."

"I want you back… You p-promised we'd be together forever… But we're not. W-We're not. Why?"

"We will be, Tohru. We will…. Just calm down for me. It's only been eleven days, love."

"It's been too long…"

Her voice faltered, crippling in volume as she shoved down the lump forming in her throat. He didn't sound very reassuring. Her fingers were trembling enough that she was partially surprised that she was still able to hold onto the phone. By the quickening breaths she heard on the other end, she could tell that Yuki was concerned about her. She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself. She didn't want the last bits of their conversation to be an interrogation about how she was doing. This time was limited. She wouldn't get another chance to speak with him while she was here.

"I know… But have you been taking good care of yourself?" Yuki asked, seeming to start the list of questions she didn't want to hear.

She started to nod, but paused when she realized he couldn't see her, "Yes…"

"… I have to go, Tohru… Don't do anything drastic, please. Keep the baby in mind… Wait a little longer, please…"

Tohru stumbled around for words, "Don't go…I still want to talk to you…"

"We'll talk again soon. Face-to-face… I promise…"

"Don't forget me…" she begged in a quiet voice she wasn't sure he could hear.

"I won't. I love you… Forget me not," he whispered back, and she could picture the faint smile across his face as he spoke the words.

She could hear a sharp voice demanding to know who Yuki was talking to before he hung up. Tohru looked down, weakly telling no one in particular that she loved him too. She dropped the phone as she covered her face with her hands again, trying to stop the tears that refused to abate. That hadn't made her feel better as she thought it would. Hearing his voice just made her craving to see him stronger. How could she be content with a telephone conversation that hardly lasted more than a minute? To make matters worse, she was sure she had gotten him in trouble too.

"Onee-chan…?" Kisa murmured.

"Do you want to go home?" Haru offered.

Tohru nodded vehemently.

"Let's go then…" Haru said, pulling her to her feet.

Tohru smiled faintly as she followed after him closely. However, as soon as they opened the door, they were greeted by an ominous looking Akito. He stood in front of the door, blocking the exit with his arms crossed in an annoyed manner as he glared at them. Tohru gasped when she noticed the malice glazing his black eyes. Shaking, she stood there unsteadily, clinging onto Haru's arm for support. Kisa peered at her older sister fretfully, not liking the way she quivered out of fright simply at Akito's presence.

"Where do you think you're taking _my_ fiancée?" he demanded angrily.

"Back home," Haru replied nonchalantly.

"I don't think so."

"She's our sister. You can't keep her captive here."

"I can, and I will. Besides, if you take her back, who knows when you'll return her to me. I'm not stupid. I know the two of you support her little rat of a lover…"

"He's not a rat!" Tohru disagreed.

"Shut up, my little whore," Akito hissed.

He slapped her, making her whimper and retreat. She partially hid behind Haru, fighting back tears as she cupped her burning cheek in her hand. Haru's eyes lit up with fury. He was hardly able to restrain himself from knocking Akito out. He only managed to inhibit his violent actions by telling himself that he'd have a better chance of freeing Tohru if he remained calm. But even Kisa, one of the kindest people he knew, was having trouble staying put where she was beside Tohru.

"Don't act all innocent. I know you're pregnant… But after a while, don't all prostitutes have a little bad luck and wind up that way? Don't worry. I might feel kind enough to pay for your abortion, _sweetheart_. Even if you did lie to me about being pregnant," Akito snarled.

"No…" Tohru sniffled.

"What's that? You want to keep that little bastard of yours?" Akito questioned.

"She's not illegitimate!" Tohru denied.

"Oh… So now you need divorce papers too, yes?" he sighed, "Is it not a little foolish to get married just for a couple of nighttime encounters?"

"That's not why we got married…" Tohru protested.

Akito shrugged before he grasped her wrist and tugged her out of the room. Tohru screamed as she tried to free herself in vain while he dragged her down the hall. Haru raced after them, breaking the attachment and grabbing Tohru back. He stood protectively in front of Tohru with his arms extended to keep Akito and the guards with him from getting to Tohru. Tohru watched in terror as a malevolent smirk spread across Akito's face. He waved his sickly, pale hand in their direction, and the guards around him started to creep towards her.

"Don't touch her," Haru warned, trying to sound vicious against the ten guards.

"You two have taken my hospitality and stepped on it. Get out. Don't tell me how to treat my fiancée. I was already gracious enough to keep her after all that infidelity."

"Don't keep her then. Give her back to Yuki. He'll treat her a million times better than you ever could," Haru snapped.

"I'll make my own decisions, thank you. Now get out," Akito commanded.

Haru would have fought to free his sister, but two new guards seemed to appear out of nowhere and wrap their arms around his, locking him in place as Akito pulled Tohru away. He thrashed about helplessly as Tohru started to cry again. He could hear another smack and a pained yelp before he was taken in the opposite direction and thrown out with Kisa. He stood there furiously for a good half an hour, banging against the door and yelling, but they were both clearly ignored.

---

Tohru yanked against Akito's grip, trying to free herself with little success. She was dragged down numerous hallways and down several stairs until she was in a dark, ominous corridor. The walls were covered with gray bricks, interrupted occasionally by lit torches attached to the wall. By the looks of the layers of cobwebs and dust, Tohru could tell this dungeon looking structure wasn't used often. Her heart rate skyrocketed as they came across a barred section at the end of the hallway. Two men she recognized as the guards who had held her while Akito beat Yuki were there as well.

Still pulling back against Akito's hand, she suddenly fell onto the floor when he released her. Tohru didn't even bother to rub her aching bottom as she noticed the guards approaching her. They both lifted her to her feet swiftly and began towing her away towards the cell. Tohru was too terrified to even protest.

"Welcome to your new home, _love_," Akito cooed mockingly.

She screamed as she was tossed inside. Tohru scurried off her knees and rushed back over to the now locked door. Ignoring the abrasions that now covered her knees and palms, Tohru gripped the iron bars tightly, unable to do a thing as Akito walked away with the key dangling off his finger. After she saw Akito disappear into the darkness and heard the door slam shut Tohru slid back down to her knees. She sat there momentarily before crawling over to the corner and lying there, averting the watchful eyes of her two guards. Sniffling, she regretted lying to Akito about her pregnancy and saying so much back there, but on the bright side, being here meant few visits from Akito.

"You don't like being held captive here?" one of the men inquired.

She didn't say anything, making her two guards laugh.

"How can she not like it? She had tons of fun when Yuki was the one keeping her captive. She even wound up pregnant," the other snickered.

Tohru ignored them, self-consciously placing her hands over her abdomen. It wasn't their business at all. It was simply a matter that involved her and Yuki. She bit down on her lip, fighting the blooming tears. Sneaking a peek at the guards, she could see they were middle-aged at the least. They didn't look very happy or nice. Even laughing, the way their mouths twisted upwards reminded Tohru of a rabid wolf that was just craving to tear her to pieces. She swallowed apprehensively before ducking her head back into the darkness of her corner.

"Don't be like that _sweetie_. We can do whatever he did just as well without having to impregnate you, since, well, you already are pregnant."

"You wouldn't dare!" Tohru snapped.

"And why wouldn't we? What are _you_ going to do? Akito wouldn't even know since you aren't a virgin and you're already pregnant."

"Yuki-kun would kill you if you laid a finger on me," Tohru told them.

They chuckled at her, "I don't see any Yuki around."

"He'll find out! And he'll be angry!" Tohru cried.

They both step towards her, "Uh-huh. Sure, _sweetheart_."

"Y-You'll regret it…" Tohru trailed off, her voice starting to shake.

Tohru huddled against the back wall, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She scowled at them –or at least tried to. Her attempt to glare just made them snicker at her. Tohru tried to scoot further back into the wall as they stood up and approached the metal bars that separated them. Long arms slipped through the gap between the metal rods and slithered towards her. Her heart beats quickened until she saw a hand waving around at her feet. Lifting her face, she saw that their shoulders were already pressed against the barricade. She let out a sigh of relief. They couldn't get any closer.

They glowered at her in defeat. Angrily, they came to the door, rattling it a bit to frighten her. Tohru shifted closer to the back wall, nearly trying to bury herself under the few shards of hay that covered the stone floor. Her heart raced for a minute as they simply stood outside the barrier. She let out the breath she had been holding in when she realized they had no key to get in. Tohru smiled to herself, never feeling better about being locked inside a jail cell than now.

"We can still cut off your clothes," one of the men pointed out.

"Yuki-kun will be mad if you do that- and he won't be very nice to you when he comes for me!" Tohru warned.

"But he'll be very nice to you. Especially in bed, won't he?"

"That's none of your business!" Tohru exclaimed embarrassedly.

They sniggered but said no more.

Tohru sat there solemnly. At least she wasn't alone here. Yuki was here with her as he always was. She could almost feel his comforting arms encircle her waist and draw her to his chest. She knew what he would say if he knew about this situation. She could practically see the anger flaring in his eyes, but she'd rather focus on more pleasant things. It was hard to realize that she truly was alone and that a cool breeze was what tickled her ear and not his retreating breath as he whispered soothing words to her or that the warmth on her cheek wasn't from the way his lips would dance playfully across her face but her own fingers.

He haunted her with his evanescent presence. A nightmare but sweeter. Yuki lingered around her, not exactly there but not gone either. He hung around, welcomed like a dream, but he tantalized her like a cup of cool water in the desert. He was just out of her reach. She sighed, clinging to his fading presence. She comforted herself with old memories, salvaging them and holding onto them dearly.

---

Yuki opened his eyes, awaking from yet another dream of Tohru. It wasn't a memory, he could tell. It was too dark and ominous. Besides, he doubted they knew Akito then. In his dream, Tohru had chosen Akito over him. Not a very complex dream, but a painful one nonetheless. He frowned before shaking his head, deciding to forget the dream. Tohru would never do that to him. She wouldn't pick a rapist over him. He knew that, yet he worried.

He made an attempt to stand up, but he felt something keep his legs from moving. Yuki looked at the new addition to his legs. Two chains, twice as thick as the ones on his hands were attached to the wall. He let out a soft groan much to the pleasure of his mother who he saw out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting beside his bed with a smile, positive that he couldn't escape now.

"What's this, mother? Chaining my arms not enough for you? Why don't you just put me in a cage and lock me up in the basement? Maybe you could even marry me to eight women! I'm sure your castle will expand greatly by then," Yuki suggested bitterly.

"That's ridiculous! What kind of mother do you think I am?"

"Why not? What's another six wives? You don't seem to care if I have two," Yuki pointed out.

Yuki sat upright, shoving the heavy metal off from his ankles. The chains left a small valley in the mattress. She raised her eyebrows at him. Waiting for another bout of shouts, she set a tray filled with food on his night stand. Yuki pushed it away, refusing to eat anything from this place. He hadn't eaten anything in a few days, and it was beginning to show. His bones stuck out more than normal from his already skinny figure, and he had little energy. Still, he held out. He was aware of how childish he was acting, but it was his only form of protest.

"I only want you to be happy, Yuki."

"If you wanted me to be happy, then I'd be with Tohru at the moment."

"For how long? How long until you break up? She won't be your source of happiness forever. I, as your mother, know you best. Machi is perfect for you," she told him.

"I disagree. Tohru knows me better than you do. I'm sure you don't even know what my favorite color is."

"Yuki, eat," she ordered, not answering his question.

"I don't think I will until you let me make my own decisions." Yuki responded stubbornly.

Yuki laid back down on his bed and shut his eyes. He prayed silently that she'd get fed up and leave or better yet grant his wishes. His wish was so simple. All he wanted was to be with Tohru. Nothing more. It was starting to seem ludicrous to him that it was this difficult to get what he wanted. Yuki cracked open one eye, partly shocked to find that his mother was still sitting there. She had never been the patient type, and she usually would have left by now since he was refusing to do as she commanded.

"I'll let you out," she offered.

"Ha! What, for a whole five minutes?" Yuki laughed.

She grimaced, getting annoyed after trying to act nice. She wanted him to eat. He'd have to or he'd die. If he died, she would have no heir. She picked up a roll from the tray and placed it in his partially open hand in hope that his hunger would win over his stubbornness, but Yuki just crushed the bread and tossed it back onto the platter without a second glance at it. Hearing his stomach growl, she could tell he was hungry. She really didn't understand why he was putting himself through this torture for one girl.

"Why don't you like Tohru, anyways? You won't find anyone sweeter than she is. Or nicer, or more selfless. She hasn't done a thing to make you hate her so," Yuki questioned harshly.

"Her family has."

"She isn't her family. Tohru is Tohru, and if she has done absolutely nothing to offend you, then you have no reason to separate us. I love Tohru, and I'll tell you now that there is no way you're getting me to marry Machi."

"We'll see about that, Yuki."

Before Yuki could respond, the door swung open and Ayame pranced in.

"My dear brother! There has been an overly large gap since the time I saw you last! My heart has longed to be with you, and alas, my wish is granted!" Ayame crooned, kneeling beside Yuki's bed.

His mother made a face at her disgraceful first son. She stood up abruptly, debating on whether she could stay or not. On one hand, she despised being around Ayame, but on the other, she was positive she could convince Yuki to see things her way with a little more time. Ayame made her decision for her when he shoved her aside to get to Yuki. Without comment, she stormed out of the room. Ayame hardly took note of her exit as he scrutinized Yuki's thin form lying under the blanket. The once playful expression morphed into a grave one instantly.

"Yuki, what have they done to you? You must eat if you want to break out! The strength you will need will be great! If only I could lend you some of mine," Ayame exclaimed.

"What do you want? I'm not in the mood for fun and games," Yuki told Ayame in an annoyed voice.

"I bear the utmost terrible news for you! It's about Tohru-kun…" Ayame added, knowing that was the only way to get Yuki to listen.

Yuki sat up straighter, his eyes widening a little. He didn't want to believe she was in danger. He had just spoken with her yesterday, but that stopped serving as a reassuring idea a second later. Ideas of what the bad news could be flooded his mind. Akito could be punishing her for the phone call. He blinked in disbelief. She had to be all right. He wouldn't be able to live if he found out she was harmed because he wasn't there to protect her. He hated how he only heard her name followed by some bad news now.

"What is it? Did she get hurt? Is she all right?" Yuki demanded to know instantly.

"How should I put this? I have acquired a bit of news from Haru recently. I shall assume you have a guess of where she is at. Knowing that, well, if she keeps refusing him, then he might get fed up with her, and I don't think he's one to return her to either you or even her family. Her life is at stake," Ayame informed him solemnly.

"And? What do you expect me to do? Can you let me out so I can help her? Do you think telling me will do any good? You just wasted your breath. I already knew all of that. But I still can't do a thing…" Yuki replied.

"Yuki…"

"So I have to ask you and Haru to help her instead. Damn it… What good am I? I can't even leave my room," Yuki muttered.

He stared at his legs and arms with those chains around them with hate. His desire was to be the one to save the girl he loved, but he couldn't. Inside, he felt worthless and small. She needed someone who could rescue her. He couldn't protect her at all. She deserved to be with someone worthy of her, but in the end, he felt selfish, wanting to keep her to himself and never let her go. He gritted his teeth together in shame. He knew he shouldn't be fussing over who was doing the saving as long as she was getting saved. Ayame patted the top of Yuki's head.

"No need to ask. As we speak, Haru is driving over to her."

Yuki nodded in relief.

"I'll tell you how his visit went tomorrow…"

Those were the last words Ayame said before leaving him alone again. Yuki sat there silently for a few minutes before trying to yank the chains apart without success. He threw his fist against the wall in fury. The rough wood caved in from the force. All that was left now was a dent in the wall, shards of wood on his bed, and blood coating his fist. The worst part was that he felt no better. He dropped back down onto his bed, disgruntled. He glowered at the ceiling as the guards rushed about in a panic.

The guards called for Hatori immediately, and the doctor was with Yuki in less than five minutes. Hatori was silent at first, simply cleaning the wound and then bandaging it without even acknowledging Yuki. Yuki mirrored his stoic demeanor. His expression remained blank during the entire painful process. He hardly seemed to notice anything going on around him. He didn't even wince when Hatori plucked the few splinters caught in Yuki's bloody knuckles.

"What are you doing, Yuki?" Hatori asked finally.

"Punching walls," Yuki answered promptly.

"No, I mean about Tohru and your freedom."

"What can I do? Mother can get Akito to hurt Tohru," Yuki sighed hopelessly.

"What are you talking about, Yuki? Your mother and Akito hate each other."

Yuki jumped into a sitting position when he heard that. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion while his eyes widened from shock. Within seconds, his eyes narrowed with suspicion as he eyed Hatori warily, trying to see if this was another one of his mother's tricks. His mother was notorious for being able to manipulate anybody. He didn't doubt her capabilities to convince Hatori to help her as well. After a minute of speculating, Yuki decided Hatori had said nothing but the truth.

"She said she was friends with him," Yuki muttered, ashamed to have believed her.

"Enemies, more like."

"So she has nothing on me!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Nothing at all," Hatori agreed.

Yuki stood up with excitement. He could hardly contain himself. He was already formulating escape plans. The time was set, and the wood was nearly worn away already. He was sure Tohru was within his grasp. Yuki was sure he could break out within a day at the most. If Haru managed to break Tohru out, he was sure he could be with Tohru before the next sunrise. He could fight Akito, and his mother would have nothing to convince him to come back if she couldn't hurt Tohru. He settled back down before the guards caught onto what they were discussing.

"But you have something on her," Hatori added with a small smile.

"What?"

"Your life."


	36. The Loveliest Creation

It was past midnight, nearly four in the morning, and Yuki was still wide awake. Yuki glared at the clock before glancing back at moon. Irritably, he shoved his lamp off its stand, letting it crash to the floor and shatter into tiny shards of glass. He had waited patiently all day for news of Haru's visit with Tohru, but no one had bothered to give him any information. Peering at the broken pieces on the ground, Yuki picked the largest piece up, contemplating it as a tool to use to liberate himself. He was sure he could tolerate the pain, but he doubted he would be of much help to Tohru if he were missing his hand. Besides, he wasn't even sure how Tohru would feel about that. Maybe she'd be disgusted enough to leave him. He cringed at the thought and instantly dropped the glass fragment.

Who was he kidding? Tohru wasn't that kind of woman. She'd rather give him her hands than leave him for that. His Tohru was too sweet and kind for that. He sighed, missing his wife terribly. He hadn't been alone since he got here, but he had never felt so lonely. It had been days since their phone conversation. Two days exactly since his carefully hidden cell phone had been taken from him. Nearly two weeks since he had last seen her, twelve days since he had last held her, two hundred and eighty-eight hours since he had last kissed her. He was completely devoid of her presence. If there were a disease in which the lack of Tohru was the cause, he was sure he'd be dead by now.

Yuki sat up rigidly and tugged at the chains around his wrists helplessly. He had planned to have her rescued by now. She was supposed to be safely in his arms, but she was miles away with another man. He could tell she was frightened half to death. Despite that he had only had a couple of brief encounters with Akito, Yuki had no doubt in his mind that Akito wasn't going to forgive Tohru for eloping with him. Akito would be anything but hospitable. Tohru was probably bruised already, but there was absolutely nothing he could do while he was locked up in his room.

Today was the day he had set out to escape, but his mother seemed to catch onto his plan, and now he had a new bed without any damage to the bed posts. There were new guards as well, and they didn't end their shifts until another set of guards arrived. None fell asleep either. They didn't even talk. They just stared at him, keeping their guns in plain sight. His plans to escape on his own disappeared after that. It just seemed impossible now. Getting out was the last thing on his mind.

That is, until his door came crashing down.

Ayame stood there between Hatori and Shigure. Each was armed with a small handgun. Not out of fear of superior firepower but rather out of shock, the two guards seated by the door froze. This gave Hatori and Shigure enough time to unarm them and restrain them in case they tried to stop them. Ayame grinned as he aimed towards his little brother and fired twice. Yuki jolted up in shock and gawked at Ayame, outraged until he heard pieces of the chains once tying him down drop noisily onto the ground. The chains that had been attached to the wall and bed posts were shattered. The shackles around his ankles and wrists were still in place, but at least he could move now.

Yuki hopped out of bed instantly. He didn't bother to ask what was going on, instead darting over to them. Ayame dropped a set of keys into Yuki's palm before Yuki rushed down the peculiarly deserted hallway. Three guards were strewn about, unconscious on the ground by the door beside a discarded napkin drenched in chloroform. His thoughts flickered to what Ayame, Hatori, and Shigure had done to get him out before they returned to Tohru and the prospect of his escape.

"Thanks!" Yuki called behind him.

"Haru's waiting for you down the street! He'll explain!" Ayame told him.

Yuki nodded, but he had hardly heard what Ayame had told him. He was already lost in his own thoughts as he skidded around the corner and nearly ran into the guards coming to replace the ones currently being held hostage in his room and the ones lying on the ground in slumber. Yuki only paused for a split second before he slid past them and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He could hear them start to chase after him, but because of their small delay, Yuki was a good distance ahead of them. Yuki couldn't remember the last time he had run so quickly.

He could tell they were new guards by the way they stumbled around the place in confusion, and he used this to his advantage, jumping over railings and running through hidden doors. By the time he climbed over the wall, they were more than twenty feet behind him and struggling through the thick shrubbery. He raced down the road and spotted Haru seated in a black sports car with the engine running. Yuki hopped in, and Haru sped off as soon as the door was closed, not even waiting for Yuki to put his seatbelt on or to even fully sit down. Yuki nearly toppled out of the roofless vehicle, but he could hardly complain.

"What's going on?" Yuki questioned anxiously as he finally got settled in the vehicle.

"We need to help Tohru. She's basically locked up in a jail cell-"

"What?!" Yuki interrupted furiously.

"Exactly. She's locked in a dungeon in the basement of the castle. There are two guards watching her, and they say rather rude things," Haru informed Yuki as casually as he could.

"Like what? Things I should kill them for?"

Haru glanced at Yuki before nodding, "Yep. Knowing you, yes. They were talking about 'having fun' with her."

Yuki straightened up in his seat angrily. He glared at nothing in particular. Just imagining what had been said was enough to make his blood boil. He wasn't even sure what he'd do when he actually saw the faces of those who dared to speak to Tohru in such a manner. They'd be punished. He just wasn't sure how. Luckily for him, he had the twelve hour ride to Akito's home to formulate his plans. The long ride came as a relief to him, yet it caused him a great deal of anxiety. They could do a lot of things to Tohru in half a day.

"Can't you drive faster?" Yuki demanded impatiently.

"I'm driving eighty. That's already fifty miles over the speed limit," Haru pointed out.

"Drive sixty over. Drive a hundred over!" Yuki barked irritably.

Haru sped up obediently, swerving past a slower car a few feet ahead. He ignored the annoyed honks he received as he dodged three other vehicles as he drove past a red light, maneuvered into the wrong lane to get further ahead, and nearly hit an old lady trying to cross the street. As the arrow of his speedometer hovered at black, three digit speeds, he idly played with the radio until he found a station he liked. Glancing at Yuki, he noticed the key in his hands. He gestured to Yuki's clenched fists, nonchalantly removing a hand from the steering wheel.

"Why don't you free yourself?" Haru suggested.

Yuki did so eagerly, shoving the key in and tearing off the heavy chains. His hands and feet felt strangely light now. He dropped the shackles onto the ground in relief. Yuki lifted his arms and legs a couple of times, awed by the simplicity of the movement now. He froze when he noticed only one of Haru's hands on the steering wheel. Taking another glance at the gauges in the dashboard, he grabbed Haru's wrist and shoved his hand back towards the wheel. Haru laughed lightly, but he obeyed.

"There's food in the backseat," Haru announced.

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat before you worry Tohru," Haru commanded.

Hearing that was enough to make Yuki eat. He reached into the backseat and grabbed the paper bag. He pulled out a plastic container filled with unidentifiable food. Lifting the lid, he couldn't decide if the sight before him looked appealing. At least, there was nothing gray colored growing on the food or anything moving. However, shifting the contents around, he still couldn't identify the dish further than vegetables and meat. Bringing the platter to his nose didn't help either. At least it was still warm.

"What _is_ this?" Yuki asked wearily.

Haru shrugged, "Leftovers."

"You don't know?"

"Just eat it. It's a mix of yesterday's lunch and dinner, I think. So that's probably fish, and I think that's chicken," Haru told him, pointing at various things in the container.

"I got the point! Now just keep your eyes on the road," Yuki ordered before they crashed.

Haru turned his head back towards the windshield, a bit reluctantly, but he continued to watch Yuki out of the corner of his eye to make sure he actually ate. Tohru would kill him if he returned Yuki to her in this condition. Yuki was already injured, and Haru had belittled the wounds to Tohru. Although she couldn't even hold a grudge against Akito after all he had done to her, she'd never forgive him after he had assured her that Yuki was fine so many times. Haru was praying that getting her husband back would make her ecstatic enough to forget that she should be infuriated with him.

They were speeding by ridiculously, and Yuki got his hopes up for getting there in less than six hours, but to his utter horror, down the road, he could see a seemingly endless line of cars that didn't seem to be moving. He muttered a curse under his breath and crossed his arms angrily as they slowed to a stop at the end of the line. The stream of vehicles really wasn't moving. Yuki sank his head down into his palms, shutting his eyes in annoyance. Out of all days for there to be a traffic jam, it had to be today at the precise moment he was trying to get to Tohru.

"Don't worry. It can't be that bad. We'll get out soon enough!" Haru said hopefully.

To the contrary, they moved about a foot in an entire hour. Tow trucks and ambulances were squeezing their way through the aisles of cars, and they were forced to back up quite a distance to allow them room at the scene of an accident up in the front. Yuki sat there impatiently, fiddling with the door handle. He let his fingers dance on the edge of his seat to the upbeat song of irritation. Most of the drivers stuck here had already turned off their engines. Yuki shook his head in disappointment.

"You'll get nowhere if you get out," Haru warned.

"I know…" Yuki muttered.

Yuki tapped his fingers against the arm rest as he glanced out the window. Spotting one of his mother's guards running about ten feet from the car, Yuki flinched and ducked, hiding behind the car door. Haru watched Yuki oddly and was about to question Yuki about his hiding when he noticed guards stopping by cars with a picture of Yuki. He understood immediately and shook his head when one of them peered at Haru and pointed at Yuki's picture urgently. Dismayed, the guards moved down the queue of traffic.

"Is the guy still there?" Yuki whispered after five minutes.

Haru nodded subtly, murmuring out of the corner of his mouth, "Don't move."

Yuki leaned over as far as he could and kept still to the best of his ability. The position stretched the skin on his back, and he could feel his stitched wounds trying to open. He winced and tried to raise himself a little to ease his discomfort, but Haru placed his elbow on Yuki's shoulders, pushing him back down. Yuki muttered a complaint under his breath but didn't attempt to move again. Pain was preferable to being caught and brought back after all the effort he had put into escaping.

"Are you kidding?" Yuki demanded after twenty minutes had passed.

"Look! They finally finished moving those bashed up cars! We can go!" Haru declared cheerfully, ignoring Yuki's question.

Yuki flew back in his seat as Haru sped forward. Although they were moving again, they only managed to go speed limit at most. He slowed again as they approached another long line of cars. Yuki groaned and rubbed his head in frustration. Thanks to the traffic, several detours they took thanks to Haru's knack for misreading directions, and the numerous police cars that tried to stop them for their reckless driving, they didn't manage to get close to Akito's palace for another twelve hours, despite their constant speeding.

They were finally only five miles from Akito's castle, and Yuki was already sitting on the edge of his seat. However, to his shock and annoyance, the vehicle broke down in the middle of the deserted road leading to the castle. The black car slowed and refused to move any further as smoke began to descend from the front of the vehicle. Yuki swallowed down strings of profanities as he stepped out of the car. Glancing around, he could hear no sound of nearby cars or even see distant towns or any other signs of civilization.

"Great…" he muttered.

Haru grimaced as he lifted the hood, disappearing in the clouds of smoke that climbed out. He pulled back and dropped the cover before stepping back towards Yuki. Haru kicked the wheel with a scowl. The engine groaned loudly before smoke began sprouting from of the back of the car as well. Yuki and Haru both distanced themselves from the vehicle in case a fire triggered an explosion. It was needless to say they wouldn't be getting any further in Haru's new sports car.

Yuki stood there hopelessly for a minute before asking, "We're only about five miles away, right?"

As soon as Haru nodded, Yuki started to bolt down the road.

"Where are you going?" Haru questioned.

"To get Tohru. You call for someone to pick us up," Yuki ordered briefly before darting away.

"Wait! Take this!" Haru shouted.

Yuki turned around in time to catch the cold metal Haru had hurled at him. Turning his palm to face him, Yuki realized it was a gun. He nodded in gratitude before he raced down the road again. He sprinted down the rocky roads until his lungs burned and his legs begged to slow. Regardless, he continued, managing to ignore the pain. All that mattered was rescuing Tohru. They had already wasted enough time. Nothing bothered him. Not the rocks and pebbles on the ground cutting his bare feet –he hadn't had time to grab shoes- not the blazing sun that scorched his skin or his weariness.

The simple thought of reaching Tohru filled him with vigor, and he sped up his pace, despite the protest of his enervated body. Tohru was in his grasp, he couldn't stop now. He could already hear her soft voice cooing happily. He could already feel her thin form enveloped in his arms, perhaps the tiniest bit larger in the abdominal area. He could smell that sweet floral scent that clung to her body. He was already envisioning those beautiful, dark eyes of hers and the large smile that never seemed to leave her face.

Yuki had absolutely no idea where he was. Luckily, there were no turns or curves in the road. It just went down, straight ahead.

His breathing became harsh, and he was having a difficult time catching his breath, but he refused to stop. He could already see the outline of the castle. Yuki clutched his chest, swallowing the pain.

It took him half an hour to arrive at the back of the castle –remarkable with his body in such a feeble state. Yuki stared at the wall for a second, only catching his breath in that short moment before he began to climb over the old structure. He slid down smoothly. He stopped where he was, behind some foliage, and examined the area. Though the land was hardly as large as his back home, it was expansive enough that it was difficult to see what lay at the opposite end of the palace. He had no idea where to start his search. To his luck, an ear piercing scream told him where his beloved was. Without a second thought needed, he ran to his right, to the source of her screech.

--

Tohru shivered in her dark cell, despite the hot, summer heat. She hadn't eaten since Monday afternoon, over forty-eight hours ago. Her stomach growled hungrily. She rubbed it sadly, praying her child was still fine. Lowering her head, she plopped her chin down onto her knees. She watched the two guards snore for a minute before sighing. They were sleeping sitting up in chairs. It didn't look very comfortable, but surely they were more comfortable than she was. She couldn't even keep her eyes shut for over a second. She didn't trust those guards, and Akito could come along any second.

She was tired though and could hardly manage to keep her eyes open any longer.

The slamming of a door awoke her with a start. She jumped to her feet, as did the guards in shock. A shadow crept out of the darkness, and Tohru began to shudder. There was no doubt in her mind about the identity of the black abyss. Trembling, she dropped to the ground, losing control of her body. She couldn't move as a pale hand lifted an old fashioned key to the lock of the door to her miniature prison. That bolt at the door had been her only friend during her stay here, but now that key was ruining that wisp of a relation.

Finally, Akito's dark hair slid out of the darkness, and he smiled wickedly at her. Tohru scooted to the corner furthest from him, but he just laughed. He swung open the barred door and pulled something out from behind his back. The sun glared off the shiny metal, making the object unknown to her until he moved it. She could see it was a knife now. She gasped, covering her mouth with both of her hands. Her shaking morphed into convulsions of terror, rocking her body from her head to the tips of her toes. He seemed to be grinning as he approached her.

"Unlike Motoko, I'm not much of a hair stylist. I consider myself more of an abortionist. Let me lend you my talents," Akito offered with a cruel smile.

"No!" Tohru screeched, covering her midriff.

He kneeled down before her, waving the knife before her face.

She shook her head fervently, "No! P-Please don't! I w-want my b-baby…"

"That's where you have me and your precious lover confused. He may care about your opinions and feelings, but I really couldn't care less."

Akito lowered the blade to her lower abdomen, about to dig the knife into her uterus, but Tohru turned the last second. The blade struck her arm instead, leaving a deep gash. Tohru cried out in pain, not bothering to even conceal her tears, but she didn't dare move her hand from her stomach to even brush her fingers across the slit in her flesh. Infuriated by her defiance, Akito twisted the blade before yanking it out from her arm. A tremor shook her body, but she couldn't make herself move away from the incensed man.

"How dare you?!" Akito snarled.

He reached forward and stabbed the knife at her blindly. Tohru wailed when the edge pierced her thigh, but she kept her arms firmly around her abdomen, keeping a shield between Akito and her baby. Furious and wild, Akito went crazed at the sight of blood trailing down her limbs. He began to laugh as puncture wounds began to coat her body, painting her skin red. Half his attacks missed, but that didn't lessen the blood that was beginning to collect in a puddle where she sat. Red liquid seeped through her white gown, and her blurry eyes could see nothing but red anymore.

She dropped to the ground, not strong enough to keep upright anymore. Her eyes shut and she curled into a ball, using her legs as protection for her baby now. She couldn't even scream anymore. Tohru was hardly even conscious, barely even aware when the blade struck at her. She felt the room spinning and darkening as a sudden warmth and numbness enveloped her frigid body. Was it her blanket of blood or was she dying? She couldn't tell, and she wasn't sure whether she cared or not anymore.

The guards stood uneasily by their seats, unsure of what to do.

--

Yuki found a large old looking wooden door at the bottom of broken, stone stairs. He threw it open with a loud crash, appalled by the sight before him. Akito's arm was raised above his head with a bloody knife in hand. His eyes resembled those of a murderous villain, and they were peering at Tohru's heart. It was too late to pull her away, but he was just in time to block it. He dove towards Tohru, covering her limp body with his own as the knife came crashing down, cutting through his thin shirt and sinking into his flesh.

The pain didn't even register in his head as he stood, carrying an unconscious Tohru in his arms. Akito blinked in confusion, slowly drifting out of his bout of hysteria. He stared blankly at Yuki, not even able to react yet. Yuki used his disorientation to his advantage and rushed to the door. He froze there and pulled out the gun Haru had given to him. He pointed it at the first guard before sliding it over to the second and then finally to Akito. All three shakily lifted their arms in surrender. Their guns were on the desk, just out of reach.

"Don't follow," Yuki warned gravely.

Staring at his blood drenched wife as he ran away from that chamber, he didn't bother to head to the area where he had come in. There was no where he could climb over with her in this condition. Holding the gun out, he easily got the old, defenseless man in charge of the gate to open the barricade.

Yuki didn't take a second glance back at the horrid place as he ran with his Tohru. He ran until he could no longer see the castle before pausing to yank out the knife from his back. He heaved in pain, breathing with difficulty before tossing it aside. He glanced to where Tohru lay on the grass before he shrugged out of his pajama-top and ripped it to shreds, using them as makeshift bandages to hinder the flow of her blood. Partially satisfied, he picked her up and continued down the path. He diverged from the route, deciding Tohru wouldn't make it if he brought her to the car.

She needed a hospital immediately. He swiftly crossed the grassy meadow to a small town he could see beyond the horizon. He stumbled into a tiny village. Yuki wasn't the least bit shocked to find people begin to scream and run for their houses when they spotted him. He was holding a bloody body after all, but nonetheless, the reactions enraged him. He simply needed to know where the hospital was. Yuki swallowed nervously as he glanced down the now deserted roads. He could barely feel Tohru's heart beat against his chest anymore.

Yuki trudged helplessly down the street, leaving a trail of blood behind him. The town was completely still now. All he could see were the corners of people's faces when they peeked out of the curtains at him. He quickly tossed aside the gun he was still holding in hope the townspeople would be comforted by this enough to help him, but nobody stirred from their hiding places. He muttered curse after curse, begging some superior power to have mercy on him. It was torture enough to see his wife so battered. Must she also die in his arms?

He gasped when he saw a car speeding down the road. Without clearly thinking, he jumped out into the road, forcing the car to screech to a sudden stop in front of him. The woman sitting behind the steering wheel nearly hopped out of her seat. Her hands were held a couple of inches off the wheel, and her foot was still pressed firmly against the brakes. Her mouth hung open while she tried to steady her erratically beating heart. For a moment, all she could do was stare at Yuki in shock.

"W-What are you doing?" she finally choked out of her already rolled down windows.

"Please… Just tell me where the nearest hospital is," Yuki pleaded.

"Get in. I'll take you there," she offered after scrutinizing him.

Yuki gratefully slid in, clutching Tohru protectively against his chest. Her breathing was labored and coming out less frequently now. He could tell her pulse was weakening before he even placed his fingers against her neck. He held her cautiously, trying to keep as much of her body levitated in attempt to lessen the pain. Tohru lay motionless in his arms, limp and void of life until they turned or hit a pothole. He wouldn't have been able to tell she was alive if it weren't for her muffled cries of pain and wincing.

The kind woman didn't ask any questions as she drove down the streets, understanding his chaotic state of mind. It took no more than five minutes, but it seemed to take an eternity before they arrived at the hospital. The car hadn't even fully slowed to a stop when Yuki hopped out. In his haste, he forgot any words of appreciation as he sprinted into the building. Everyone in the first room gawked at him when he entered. Pens and magazines made a soft clash as they hit floors and desks in unison. Nobody even moved to help him.

"Help her!" he barked.

The hospital staff recovered first and were at his side with a stretcher soon enough. Yuki gently set her down, and an oxygen mask was quickly placed over her mouth as she was rolled down to the emergency room. Paramedics ran aside, stabbing her arm with a shot and an IV. Tohru's head lolled lifelessly to the side as she was shoved into a room with a flashing sign above that identified it as the emergency room. Yuki followed anxiously only to be greeted by closed doors. A nearby employee stuck out her hand when he tried to enter.

"You can't go further, sir," the nurse there told him.

"But-" Yuki began to protest.

"They'll take care of her, so why don't I get someone to help you?"

"I don't need help! I need to see my wife!" Yuki argued angrily.

"I can't let you do that. Let's go get someone to look at your wound," she insisted.

She took him by the arm and tried to lead him elsewhere, but Yuki firmly shook her off. He kept his feet planted where they were as he stubbornly stared at the shut doors. Yuki mentally debated offering them a large sum of money to let him stay with Tohru, but he discarded that idea when he realized he was still wearing his pajamas. Even if they accepted his offer, he'd have no money to give them. The nurse let out an exasperated sigh as he glared at forbidden room.

"I'm not leaving here," Yuki told her.  
"That won't help, sir."

"I'm not leaving here," Yuki repeated, "Now leave."

The nurse did as he instructed, but she was back within a minute with another man at her side. He had a small cart beside him filled with gauze, bandages, needles, alcohol, and other medical supplies obscured by a shut box. Yuki hardly noticed them arrive and didn't bother to acknowledge their presence. All he was focusing on was those two doors.

"May I treat you here then?" the doctor questioned softly.

Yuki didn't give any word of agreement, but the doctor began since Yuki hadn't protested either. The doctor removed Yuki's t-shirt carefully and examined the injury. Yuki just stared at the doors where Tohru had just been wheeled through, completely unaware of the stitches he was receiving, the disinfectant, or the bandaging. When the doctor began to give him instructions about caring for his wound, Yuki interrupted impatiently. He didn't care about his own condition when he wasn't sure if Tohru was even alive.

"Let me see her."

"Sir, you're not allowed in there," the doctor informed him.

"I don't care! Let me see her!" Yuki snapped, grasping the doctor by the collar of his shirt.

Yuki was yanked away by three security guards before he could make any progress and was forced into the waiting room several feet from the emergency room. The guards stood around him, monitoring him in case of another display of violence. Yuki kept silent, burying his face in his hands. They had no right to keep him from Tohru. They had no right at all, and for that, they would surely pay. He didn't even notice when the chair beside him creaked from the weight of another person. Yuki didn't even acknowledge the person as gentle hands touched his shoulders.

"Sweetie, she's going to be all right."

He could recognize the voice. The woman who had driven him here was now seated beside him and trying to comfort him. He took no notice of her soothing words. His ears were strained, focused on one sound only: the opening of the doors to the emergency room. So when the doors quietly opened an unknown period of time later, he looked up immediately. He stood up and would have rushed over to the doctor if the guards hadn't stopped him. Yuki stopped where he was, fighting to retain what was left of his patience.

"How is she?"

"She's fine, mister. No vital organs were damaged. The wounds, although deep, won't kill her. She's gotten stitches and is receiving a blood transfusion. She'll be fine," he assured Yuki calmly.

"She- She's pregnant. Is the baby still a-alive?" Yuki could hardly bring himself to voice his question.

"I don't know, sir," the doctor replied honestly.

"Why not?" Yuki demanded, his voice rising.

"We didn't check. But there weren't any wounds to her abdomen. I'd assume her pregnancy wasn't affected."

Yuki nodded. The doctor smiled faintly back before the doors opened again and Tohru was wheeled out of the room in a clean stretcher. Yuki shoved past the guards around him and followed the attendees as they brought Tohru to an empty room on the second floor. They set Tohru gently onto the one bed in the room and set the IV with the bag of blood by the nightstand. She was dressed in a thin, white, papery, hospital gown and had bandages snaked around her arms and legs. Yuki draped the blanket over her worriedly.

He kneeled down by the bed and took both of Tohru's hands into his. The oxygen mask had been removed and the blood transfusion was bringing the color back to her white face. Her breathing had returned to a slow, peaceful pace. He smiled as he felt her frigid hands make the slightest movement. Yuki brought his fingertips to her face and brushed the long strands from her eyes. She stirred the slightest bit, moving away from the motion as if she were dodging an attack. He could only imagine what she had been through these past days with Akito. Not wanting to disturb her, he lowered his hand fretfully.

"Tohru…" he breathed slowly, "Please don't scare me like that ever again."

"Are _you_ okay then?"

Yuki turned around to face the woman in the room. He hadn't even known she had followed him from the waiting room. His expression softened when he noticed her concerned eyes, directed at both him and Tohru. Yuki had never met a person who worried about strangers so much. It must have been a commoner thing. Besides Tohru, he had never known someone who was this kind. Everyone else had simply ignored him, not wanting to get involved, but she had driven him here without even knowing a thing about him. She had no obligation to help him, yet she did anyways.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Yuki disagreed.

"Really? But this is the most alive I've seen you since I've met you."

"Well, she's all right now, so I am too," Yuki responded slowly.

"I see… I'm glad," the woman smiled broadly.

"I… I-um… Thank you," Yuki stuttered.

"It was my pleasure."

Yuki let the corners of his mouth raise ever so slightly, smiling in gratitude. It was nice to be able to feel emotions other than distress and anger. He had almost forgotten what happiness felt like in Tohru's absence. Reveling in the warmth he found in this emotion, he wondered how he had even managed to live without her. How had he sustained himself with one short phone call with his beloved? He couldn't even imagine the past twelve days. They seemed so distant and irrelevant now that he had Tohru. He really couldn't thank his savior enough.

"Is there any way I can repay you? I'm sure I ruined your car seats with all of that blood, and I wasted so much of your time."

"Really, there's no need. I didn't help you with a reward in mind. Hiro-chan will be so proud!" she exclaimed happily.

"Hiro-chan?"

"My son. My name is Satsuki, by the way," she added.

"I'm Yuki… And this is Tohru, my wife," Yuki informed her, glancing back at Tohru.

"I know. Everyone knows you two. Well maybe I didn't know you two were married, but I saw your ring, so I naturally assumed," she rambled.

Yuki nodded. Satsuki carefully sat down on the edge of the hospital bed. She eyed Tohru with a motherly gaze and straightened the blanket gently. Tohru flipped over, facing Yuki with a pained expression. Her lips parted, and she muttered something unintelligible. Her fingers crept toward him, seeming to search for him. They froze abruptly and clenched the blanket tightly. Her face was scrunched together in agony. She was whimpering softly until he slipped his hand into hers. Tohru instantly relaxed and slid back into her deep slumber.

"What happened to the poor princess?" Satsuki inquired quietly.

"Akito… He tried to k-kill her," Yuki stammered, trying to suppress his fury.

"Oh my… The poor dear," Satsuki murmured sympathetically.

"Yuki…?"

Yuki turned back towards Tohru as she whispered his name again in her sleep. Her hand tightened its hold around his. He stroked the back of her hand gently. She almost smiled as she tugged his fingers closer to her. He brushed his hand against her pale cheek, relieved to find that she didn't pull away from his touch. She didn't lean towards him, but he could almost feel her usual warm blush. Her cheeks darkened slightly. He wouldn't have noticed if he didn't know her face so well, but he was sure it was due to her aches rather than embarrassment. She whispered his name again in a strained voice.

"I'm here," he breathed softly.

"I'll leave you two. I better get back to my kids," Satsuki announced before she left.

Yuki sat there, perfectly motionless as he held Tohru's hands for a couple of hours. He only left her side once to call Haru and tell him where they were. He didn't stir or stop muttering calming words to Tohru until a nurse entered the room with papers for him to fill out about Tohru and him, seeing as he had refused to do so while Tohru was in the emergency room. He finished quickly, gave her the papers, and returned back to talking to Tohru. At some point, he had pulled over a chair and was sitting beside her with her hands pressed against his face.

"Wake up, Tohru… Open your eyes for me. Don't make me worry anymore…" he murmured.

It was night already and Tohru hadn't even cracked an eye open yet. Visiting hours had long been over, but nobody bothered to try to pry him away. Besides a couple of nurses who came to check on Tohru, the only other person who dared to come into the room was a group of police officers who were here to investigate Tohru's injuries. They interrogated him for an hour, suspecting him to be the one who had harmed Tohru. He continually denied their accusations, but no one listened. Yuki had never been so offended before.

"Who did it if it weren't you?" one of the three officers demanded.

"Why should I bother telling you? You wouldn't apprehend your prince," Yuki finally muttered.

The officers froze when they heard what he said. Surprised, they gawked, not even bothering to conceal their disbelief or even shut their open mouths. It took a total of five minutes before even one of the three officers here to investigate could recover and even speak. Even then, they were still struggling over words and tripping over their own bewilderment. Yuki just watched, partially amused by their reactions, but he was also annoyed by how much of his time they were wasting.

"What?" they could only manage to stutter weakly.

"Your prince, Akito, did this to my wife," Yuki explained slowly.

"What connection does your wife have with the prince to make him do this to her?"

Yuki raised his eyebrows in shock, "Don't you know your ruler's fiancée?"

"P-Princess Tohru?" they all squeaked in shock.

Yuki nodded nonchalantly. He turned back to Tohru, who was still sleeping soundly, and gazed at her longingly. The cops turned their wide eyes to Tohru, suddenly recognizing her face. They jumped back in shock and openly gaped at her. One grabbed Tohru's charts that were hanging off the end of the bed and confirmed that it was Tohru's name there. He dropped the clipboard, letting it clamor against the wooden bed frame loudly. Tohru cringed at the sound, sending the three police force members into a cautious fright.

"So y-you're Yuki-sama?" they squeaked nervously.

Again, Yuki nodded, "Who else?"

They all started to bow, but Yuki interrupted them with a wave of his hand. Trying to treat him with respect now after all their crude questioning was more rude than anything. They stood uneasily around Yuki, suddenly jittery and uncertain of how they should act. Yuki observed them as they shifted their weight from one foot to another and exchanged confused glances with each other. They were acting more like entertainment to him rather than professionals here to solve the case of a near murder.

"Just leave. You have no reason to be here since you won't arrest your prince," Yuki ordered irritably.

"Actually, we can if you have any proof. We have a constitutional monarchy, and there are specific rules that even he can not break."

"Proof… hmm… My account isn't enough… Can't you ask Tohru when she wakes up?" Yuki asked hopefully.

"We can, but with your relationship with her, she's bound to support you."

"She can't lie."

Yuki almost laughed at that statement as he remembered all of those times she had tried to lie. Her face would flush, she would shake, and she wouldn't even be able to look him in the eye. Who couldn't trust her when she lied like that? She didn't lie much either. Tohru was far too kind and honest. Of course, they looked skeptical when he told them that. He could have beat them up for that, but he refrained from doing so in hopes that they'd deal with Akito for him. Yuki would have preferred to hurt Akito at the least, but he decided Tohru would like it more if Akito were locked up in jail instead.

"We don't know that," one finally dared to say.

"So the blood in his basement… No, he probably washed that already. He's clean… Oh! What about those two guards of his that were watching Tohru? They saw the whole thing, and they have absolutely no reason to lie for me. They may support Akito though since if he's arrested, they'll be out of jobs," Yuki mused.

"Can you describe these men?"

"Umm… One had black hair, a thick mustache, green eyes, and he had to be around five and a half feet tall. I think he probably weighs two hundred pounds. The other one had brown hair that reached his chin, dark brown eyes, no facial hair, and he's about six feet tall. He was pretty thin," Yuki told them, trying his best to recall the men he hadn't really been looking at.

"Thank you. We'll investigate it."

Yuki shrugged before giving Tohru his full attention again. He squeezed her hands firmly, wondering whether the doctor had given her too much anesthetic. It had been five hours since she got here, and she hadn't shown many signs of awakening yet, despite all the ruckus that had passed by the room already. He sighed and reached his hand forward to graze her arm, but he hesitated as he eyed the bandages. He could hardly see her skin. Bandages coated her body, leaving only patches of skin visible to him. Remembering all the blood that had once been splattered across her body, he kept his fingers on her hands, which had only a couple of minor scrapes.

He sighed, "Tohru… I miss you…. Wake up already… Can't you hear me? I'm right here. Open your eyes for me," he begged.

Tohru tossed on the bed for the second time in the last five minutes. She didn't look very comfortable. He extended his fingers toward her, about to try to soothe her, but he doubted brushing his fingers against her elbow would pacify her.

Suddenly, she shot up from her spot on the bed with beads of sweat dripping down her body. She peered around the unfamiliar darkness and shuddered, frightened and confused. When his arms wrapped around her, she nearly shrieked until she noticed the soft glimmer of silver hair reflecting off the light of the moon. Her eyes lit up for a brief moment before filling with tears. She fought to swallow back tears as she struggled to speak, her mouth letting her utter a soft, weak, mumble of his name. He turned towards her and pressed his lips to her cheek tenderly. He grasped her face between his hands and kissed her hungrily. He moved on when she gasped for air, planting kisses across her face, down her neck, across her collar bone. He paused when her small hands touched his cheeks, bringing his lips back to reintroduce them to her own.

She pulled away after a moment, breathing quickly, but she kept her nose against his. Tohru blinked a couple of times in disbelief. Her slender fingers ran across his face several times in shock. Yuki grinned and laughed as she continued to pat his face to make sure he was real. Tears sprouted onto her cheeks, which he instantly wiped away with his thumbs. Tohru couldn't restrain herself. Before she knew it, she had jumped on him, hugging him as tightly as she possibly could. He winced as she knocked him back onto the chair. Tohru flinched and pushed herself off apologetically.

"I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?" Tohru asked in a panic.

"No-"

Tohru cut him off after she heard that, "I'm so glad! I was so worried!"

She embraced him tightly, pressing herself against him and holding him as close as she could. Tohru sniffled, struggling to hold back tears that begged to be released. She couldn't keep the tears from falling down her face as she glanced back up at Yuki. Yuki held her cautiously, patting her back carefully in attempt to avoid any of her wounds. Tohru glanced up at him shyly, unable to believe he was right here, enclosed in her arms. He pressed his lips to her cheek, one of the few places on her body that wasn't bandaged. Yuki was alarmed to find her skin wet.

"Why are you crying? You jump on me and knock me over all the time," he reminded her lightly.

"He beat you up… And you made me worry about you for a week…I thought you had died," she whimpered.

"I promised you we'd be together. I wouldn't die after that. Besides, you're the one who's hurt, not me."

Letting her hands roam his back as she hugged him, she could feel raised areas, bandages, and over those, she found long, rocky, ledges, stitches. He didn't make a sound or move as she touched his wounds, feigning indifference, but she knew he just didn't want to worry her. She pulled away from him and cupped his cheeks with her hands. Her eyes scrutinized the bruises and cuts that still covered his body and shook her head as new tears began to spill over. It was her fault. She should have done something. She should have gotten Akito to leave before he could lay an attack on her beloved. She should have argued more against leaving that night. There seemed to be so many options now that she thought about it, but she hadn't tried to do any of them.

"What's wrong, my little mummy?" he inquired fretfully.

Surprised, Tohru could only blink in response. Cocking her head to the side in confusion, she repeated the word he had referred to her as, "Mummy?"

He grinned, "Yep. What else do you call this?"

He laughed, lifting up her arm gently and showing her all the bandages. Tohru frowned, her face scrunching up with concern. She eyed him carefully, scrutinizing his face for the meaning of his words. Seeing the harmless, teasing dance glimmer in his bright, gray eyes, she shook her head with a grin. He laid her arm back at her side gently and pressed her back against his chest. Tohru laid her head on his shoulder with a dazed look. She lifted her head and peered at him, checking to see if he was still here or if he had vanished like the rest of her delusions.

"Am I dreaming?" she asked suddenly.

"What? No, why?"

"Good. I've been waiting to see you for so long," she murmured.

Smiling at her, he whispered in return, "I love you so much…"

"I love you too…"

Her face broke out with a large smile. He said those three words in such a way that left her breathless. His eyes would glisten. His lips would turn upward at the edges. She had to admire him for that sheer perfection. Unintentionally, he revealed the incompetence of everyone else who had ever professed his love to another. He was putting to shame every other declaration of these three sacred words. She would have considered her thoughts exaggerations because she had received a little too much morphine, but she clearly recalled thinking this before.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, noticing the dazed look in her eyes.

"It hurts… A lot," Tohru admitted.

"Do you need more pain medication?"

"No, no! I don't want to go back to sleep yet! I've been sleeping all day, haven't I?"

"Yes, but-"

She covered his mouth with her fingers. Tohru didn't dare to prolong the disagreement any further. Arguing with Yuki was pointless. She wasn't very talented at persuading anyone. The tacit begging she tried with her large, brown eyes seemed to be working though. She could see his determination waver as she jutted her bottom lip out in a slight pout she knew he could never resist. Relief flooded her when he settled back down in the chair, making no move to transport her to the bed. She couldn't waste these precious hours sleeping. Who knew what morning would bring?

"Please. I don't want to go back to sleep. I want to talk to you… I want to be with you, okay?"

He nodded, "What is it you want to talk about?"

She looked down. Today was the day she was finally reunited with her love, yet she didn't know what to say. Thinking back to the days she had spent apart from him, she had had so many things to tell him, but she couldn't recall a single phrase. Tohru simply wanted to be around him and have him hold her, regardless of how much it hurt to have him touch her. She pressed her side against his chest, hoping he would wrap his arms around her. Yuki did but not without hesitation. The last thing he wanted to do was inflict pain on her. He did anyways. Holding her, having her within reach was something he missed. She rested her head on his shoulder in bliss. The pain had only lasted a second, this warm feeling she got lasted.

"Thank you… for saving me… for caring for me… for kissing me… and for holding me…" Tohru whispered, shutting her eyes.

"Thank _you_ for forgiving me for letting you get kidnapped and hurt like this."

"No need to forgive… I never blamed you for that," Tohru murmured tiredly.

She tried to choke back a yawn, but it came out anyways. He glanced at her momentarily before lifting her up and setting her back onto the bed. She grabbed onto his arm before he could pull away though. He gazed at her quizzically as she clutched his arm against her chest. She sat up and yanked closer. He warily stepped closer to the bed, eyeing her suspiciously. Yuki could remember a couple of situations similar to this one, and he wanted to avoid either this time. He gently eased her down by the shoulders before he spread the blanket back over her.

"Sleep," he ordered softly.

"Are you going to stay here?" she questioned fretfully.

"Of course. Where else would I go?"

"Where will you sleep?"

He looked around uncertainly. It was a one person room. There was only one bed. Yuki hadn't planned on sleeping at all. Sleeping seemed irrelevant when she was here in the hospital. She could easily be abducted by Akito or Motoko. He was positive they were both around here somewhere. Besides, he couldn't even consider sleeping when she was here. Yuki was too elated. He had finally rescued her, and now that she had awoken, the portion of his mind that was filled with concern was being crammed with excitement. How could he possibly sleep? But his body was betraying him. He was aware of how he could hardly keep his eyes open anymore, but he couldn't bring himself to let them shut.

"In the chair," he responded after a minute.

She shook her head and moved as far as she could to the left of the bed. Tohru patted the right side with a smile, inviting him to join her. When he hesitated, she tugged at his sleeve, but all she managed to do was get him to sit on the corner of the bed. Tohru sighed and crawled to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She tried to pull him down, but she couldn't get him to move more than an inch. She'd have better luck with a marble statue. Placing her hands on her hips, she decided to reason with him rather than use force.

"The bed is big enough for two," she pointed out.

"Hardly. Besides, I don't want to hurt you."

"Please?"

"Why do you always do that to me?" Yuki groaned.

"Do what?" Tohru asked obliviously.

"Make me feel like I'm the worst person in the planet because I'm not giving you what you want," Yuki mumbled as he laid himself down beside her.

"Because I love you and I want you to be comfortable."

Tohru beamed and snuggled close to him, ignoring the throbbing sensation radiating from her arms as she gripped his arm tightly. Fretting she was cutting off his blood supply, she released his arm and hugged him. He flipped over after a second and enclosed her unharmed waist in his hold. Unused to sharing a bed with him after more than a week of separation, Tohru was oddly shy and suddenly very aware that there was a baby growing inside her. Yuki's child. The future heir to two thrones. The possible end to a long rivalry.

Unknowingly ending her serious thoughts, Yuki kissed her on the forehead with a murmur of a good night wish before shutting his eyes. He fell asleep instantly while Tohru lay there silently. She fingered his hair with a smile, glad to have convinced him to join her. He had to be tired after this long day. Tohru brushed his bangs off of his face, staring at the face she knew so well. She kissed his bruised cheek before closing her eyes and joining him in slumber.

When Tohru awoke in the morning, she could hear footsteps in the room. Tiredly, she patted the area to her right, shocked to find Yuki still there. It took her a minute for her muddled thoughts to make sense. If Yuki was still asleep, then someone else was in the room, she finally concluded. She gasped and sat up with wide eyes. The hooded figure in the corner stopped pacing and faced her slowly. They both stared at each other for a moment before Tohru jumped out of bed. She darted over and leapt into her brother's open arms.

"Haru-nii!" Tohru exclaimed cheerfully.

"Are you okay, Tohru? You look terrible," Haru said worriedly.

"I'm fine-"

She paused in the middle of her response and slid back down to her feet. Tohru stood there silently, not bothering to hide the nauseous look that overwhelmed her face. Haru flinched when he noticed her expression. Instantly, he led her back towards the bed and helped her lay down. She had only shut her eyes for a second before a cool hand covered her forehead. Opening her eyes, she found Yuki's concerned face hovering inches above hers. Not having expected Yuki to be awake, Tohru squeaked in fright and would have fallen off the bed if Yuki hadn't caught her by the arm.

"Should I get the doctor?" Yuki asked anxiously.

"I thought you were asleep!" she gasped.

"I was, but your screaming woke me," he responded to her comment first, "So should I get you more pain medication?"

"No, that's not what's bothering me."

"What's the matter then?"

"I'm still pregnant, so-"

"You're still pregnant?!" Yuki exclaimed.

Tohru blinked a couple of times in his direction, trying to decipher the intense emotion she could see in his face. She couldn't tell whether he was pleased by this or upset. Regardless, she nodded in response to his question. She was unable to evaluate his expression after that, for he pulled her into his arms instantly. Despite that she couldn't see the grin spreading across his face, she could tell he wasn't angered by her news one bit, even without a vocal confirmation of her thoughts, which he gave her anyways.

"I'm so happy…" he breathed into her hair.

"Excuse me. In case you have forgotten, I'm still here," Haru announced nonchalantly.

Jumping at the sound of Haru's voice, Tohru broke the embrace abruptly with a bright red face. Self-consciously, she moved to the corner of the bed, as far from Yuki as she possibly could without winding up on the floor. She had forgotten that Haru was only a mere two feet from where she was, obviously able to see everything going on between her and Yuki. Sneaking a glance towards Yuki, she was comforted by the faint, pink tint to his pale cheeks, but she was hardly pacified enough to budge from her spot. Recovering more quickly than she did as usual, Yuki chuckled as he slid off the bed and stood.

"Ready to go home?" Yuki asked her.

"Home…" Tohru repeated the word uncertainly, "Where would that be?"

"To my house," Yuki clarified, "I want to speak to my mom about you."

"About me?"

He nodded calmly in attempt to keep Tohru placid, but she freaked out anyways. She crawled over to him and clutched at his arm fretfully. Shaking her head vehemently, she tried to get him to reconsider his idea, but he didn't seem the least bit bothered by her protests. Tohru frowned worriedly. She could see no point in returning home to simply talk to his mother when it was obvious that nobody would listen to what they had to say. If they'd even consider their opinions, she would have talked to both of their families until they relinquished whatever grudge they held and let her be with Yuki.

"Do we have to go back? We'll just get separated, you know that," Tohru added solemnly.

"No, we won't. I promise you won't ever have to go back to Akito," Yuki vowed.

"That's not what I want you to promise!" Tohru cried fervently.

"I thought it was a given that we'd end up together," Yuki responded innocently.

"You promise though, right?"

"Of course."

Tohru smiled faintly and embraced him tightly, trying her best to ignore Haru's blank face she could see over Yuki's shoulder. She shut her eyes and focused all her attention on the warmth of the embrace and the consolation it provided. It was embarrassing to be hugging Yuki in front of Haru, but what did it matter when they might be separated before the day was over? Yuki patted her back reassuringly for a moment before sliding his hands under her knees and getting her to sit back down, concerned about her exhaustion.

"Are the doctors really going to release me this early?" Tohru inquired.

"They don't want to, but I convinced them by assuring them our family doctor would treat you," Yuki told her.

"We don't have a family doctor though," Tohru pointed out.

"You don't. I do," Yuki smiled.

"And he really will treat me when I'm not part of your family?"

"What do you mean? You're my wife! Of course you're part of my family," Yuki assured her.

Her already flushed face darkened at the mention of their marital bonds. It was true that she was now technically a part of his family, in the legal sense at least, but she doubted anyone besides them would accept that, especially not his parents and her aunt and uncle. Despite how much her marriage to Yuki meant to her, she knew their families wouldn't care one bit about how they were joined. A marriage was so easily dissolved. Theirs would be even easier to crumble. They were in no need of divorce papers, an annulment could easily be forced upon them since only a brief period of time had passed since their wedding date.

Not wanting to be part of this conversation any longer, Haru wandered over to the door and called over his shoulder, "I'll go get a wheelchair then, and we'll get out of here."

"That's really unnecessary! I can walk!" Tohru insisted.

"I'll carry her, Haru. By the time you get back with a wheelchair, we could be back home," Yuki reminded him of his poor navigational skills.

Haru turned back around and nodded in agreement, not quite paying attention as a nurse entered to do some finishing procedures before they could leave. He was handed paperwork to fill out while Tohru was given another dose of anesthetic and pain medication to take at home. The nurse slid the IV out of Tohru's arm and unhooked the equipment that had been attached to Tohru's body. Tohru tried to disagree against Yuki's carrying her, but he ignored her as he swept her up into his arms carefully. Too groggy to press the issue further, she sighed and locked one arm around Yuki's neck as he started for the door.

After gently carrying Tohru out of the hospital and to the replacement car Haru had gotten, Yuki set Tohru down gently in the middle of the backseat before he joined her. He let her curl up on the seat and lay her head on his lap as they began heading back. Tohru slept for most of the ride, still dazed and tired from all the medication she had been forced to take. She awoke when they were driving through the town that separated their two home countries. .

When she opened her eyes, Yuki's hand was lying gently, yet firmly, over her ear, as if he were keeping her out of some private conversation. As she drifted out of her state of semiconscious, she could hear the remnants of a muted exchange, but she could make out no words. She lifted her head off of Yuki, still in a state of half sleep. Regardless of her daze, she could see the dagger Haru was handing Yuki very clearly. Tohru stared as Yuki took the weapon in horror. Alarmed, she reached forward to take it away from Yuki, but he shoved it somewhere before she could make contact with it.

"W-What are you doing?" Tohru squeaked.

Nobody answered her questions. Tohru tensed as she grasped Yuki's arm, gripping it tightly. Spotting tears starting to make their way out, he pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"Yuki-kun? Promise me you won't do anything that might hurt you," Tohru pled.

He didn't answer at first, not wanting to make a promise he wouldn't keep. In the back of his mind, he knew he didn't care about what happened to himself if it kept Tohru from having to go back to her supposed fiancé. However, seeing tears ready to burst from her eyes, he nodded to reassure her. She seemed satisfied with this, wrapping both of her arms around his and resting her head on his shoulder. As calm as he appeared to be, his physical appearance was in disagreement with the chaos spiraling around his head. Yuki embraced her tightly, hoping this wouldn't be the last time he held her.

"I don't want to lose you again, Yuki. I love you. Don't leave me, okay?" Tohru breathed, clinging to him desperately.

"I love you too… I don't want to lose you either," Yuki murmured as he tightened his grip around her.

He could see the outline of his home in the distance. They weren't too far now. The streets were completely empty, not a single person was out, not even the birds were chirping. It was too quite to be soothing or even normal. Hearing a gunshot rip the silence to shreds, Tohru tensed and buried her face in the crook of Yuki's arm, suddenly frightened of what they were up against. Yuki kept his arms tightly around her, trying his hardest to make her feel safe. He stared out the window, feeling death breathing down his neck as they slowed to a stop at the gate of his palace. Tohru lifted her head, looking around in confusion. Yuki quickly took her hands in his, pulling her near and pecking her on the lips.

"Stay here. I love you…"

"What? Wait! Where are you going?!" Tohru squealed.

Yuki smiled at her faintly before quickly slipping out of the car. He fiddled with something on the door before he shut it quickly. Haru locked the doors, leaving Tohru with a shocked and confused expression. She struggled with her seatbelt frantically, taking several minutes to unlatch the buckle. Tohru hurriedly scooted over to the door, unlocking it and pushing the door in vain. She stared at it angrily. It was locked from the outside. How childish. She glared at it, pulling at the handle one last time before climbing to the front seat. Haru's hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her back before she got to the handle.

"Tohru, stay here please… Listen to him. Listen to me."

"Then tell me… What's Yuki-kun planning to do?" Tohru whispered in a frightened voice.

Haru looked away, "I can't say."

Tohru's eyes weld up with tears. She trembled as she pulled Haru's hand off of her and hopped out of the car. She swung the door open and raced down the road. A small rock in the middle of the path made her fall and scrape her knees. The bandages that were once there ripped, revealing to her the deep slits inches above her knees. Yuki was no where close enough to notice she had fallen, too far to even hear her pleas for him to stop. Haru bent over, helping her back to her feet. Again, she fell as she tried to move forward, and again he lifted her up.

"Yuki! Wait for me! Don't leave me! You- You can't go!" Tohru sobbed, feeling helpless.

"Tohru, I don't want you to go either," Haru told her.

Tohru shook her head, jerking her arm out of his. Stubbornly, she darted down the path before Haru could grab her again. She ran awkwardly, limping from her scrapes and wounds. Added to that, every ounce of her body stung. Tohru was determined to get to Yuki. She had to keep him from doing anything dangerous. She had to get to him in time. Tohru kept her eyes straight ahead, averting the blood that was beginning to seep out onto her bandages. She moved slowly, and it was easy for Haru to catch her again and restrain her, despite her wails and shrieks.

Yuki wasn't sure what he was going to do. He knew she didn't want to be left behind. He knew that, yet he still abandoned her. Even if she were mad at him, he couldn't bring her with. He couldn't let her come in harm's range. Her safety mattered most to him. Why couldn't she see that? Why did she have to insist on staying with him? Couldn't she see that all he wanted was to keep her safe? He felt stupid, running to his mother to speak about Tohru, ally-less, and plan-less. All he knew was that he had to find Ayame. Ayame could help with his erratic ideas. Unfortunately for him, he didn't run into Ayame. He ran right into his parents and who he could guess were Tohru's aunt and uncle. The silence he was greeted with was deafening, louder than a thousand gunshots. Yuki swore under his breath, cursing himself for acting so foolishly.

"Yuki! What are you doing here?" his mother demanded.

"I'm the cause of this, aren't I? If you're angry at me, then do something to me. Don't hurt anyone else," Yuki declared, trying to sound like he had actually thought through this.

"Where's the girl?"

"She has nothing to do with this either. She's innocent. It was all my idea. You can punish me however you wish now, but just leave her be, okay?" Yuki bargained.

He looked around, spotting Ayame between Hatori, Shigure, and Kyo before them. Nice family reunion this was. They were standing against the palace, not entirely part of the scene but not excluded either. It was too dark out to make out much further, but he thought he could see one of the men beside his mother shove a gun back into his holster. He swallowed anxiously but kept an indifferent look across his face. Showing his fear would just give his mother an advantage, and she was in no need of more leverage. His only comfort was that Tohru was safely out of sight.

"Yuki, you have no idea what you just said," his mother coolly responded.

"I do know what I just said…" Yuki confirmed calmly.

She pushed her way through her barricade of protection and arched her eyebrow at him before smiling. She hadn't expected Yuki to make this so simple for her.

"You heard him men. Make sure he regrets every single word he just said-"

"WAIT!"

Everyone turned around to face the source of the cry. The short brunette ran forward as quickly as her legs would carry her only to trip on a lump grass. Luckily, she was a step from Yuki, and he caught her in his arms. Tears continued to fall down her cheeks in what seemed to be endless rivers as he held her. She pressed her face into his chest, sobbing bitterly. At least, she had made it in time. Her fist hit his chest lightly in frustration. Yuki stroked her back, instantly regretting leaving her alone. No one made a sound. They all watched the young couple embracing.

"Tohru?" he said softly into her ear.

"I hate you… I hate you so much… Don't leave me alone and go run off to try and help me… You aren't helping me! I want you to stay with me! I want- I want us to face our problems together. Can't you understand that? I thought you knew me best… So why do you keep doing this?" she wept into his shirt.

"I'm sorry Tohru… I know… I just… I don't know…" he muttered, continuing to try to sooth her.

_I hate you_. Those three words rang in his ears. He despised to hear such detest directed at him out of her mouth. Was it so wrong to want to protect her? She had a point, but he didn't want her to get hurt. He couldn't stand to see her in pain. She had enough injuries to last her a lifetime. Yuki listened to her cry as she struggled to calm herself. Tohru glanced up at him, unable to stay mad any longer. He touched her chin with the tips of his fingers before leaning towards her and kissing the tears off her pale face. She shied away from his touch, hiding her face against his chest.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to say that. I don't hate you… I-I just love you so much," Tohru whispered shakily.

"Don't apologize. If you do anything for me, anything at all, just don't apologize. You were right, and I was wrong, so don't say _sorry_. That just makes me want to apologize a hundred times more because even if you forgive me, I can't forgive myself for making you cry again. But I'll always love you… That won't ever change…" he breathed delicately raking his fingers through her hair.

No one said anything. A hush blew past the small crowd, leaving them utterly speechless. Everyone here knew the story of Yuki and Tohru. It was hard to find someone who didn't. But nobody knew they had gotten back together a year prior. This shocked everyone into silence, even his parents. Haru caught up to them at this moment, appearing behind Kisa. She jumped up at his presence. She had been peeking through the arms of two guards to see what was happening. They wouldn't let her get any closer. He laughed quietly and picked her up, setting her on his shoulders to have a better look. She clung to his head, both pleased and scared.

"What's happening, Haru-nii? I can't hear them," Kisa stated disappointedly.

Haru shrugged, making Kisa lurch forward. She hung onto his neck tighter, listening to him respond, "I don't think anyone can hear them…"

Yuki stood perfectly still as Tohru clung to him with both of her arms. He could feel her legs wobble unsteadily. He could tell she was hardly able to stand. He could even feel his pants dampen as her blood dripped onto his clothing. Yuki cringed at the sound of a quiet whimper escaping from her mouth. The last dose of morphine she had been given must have worn off. Glancing down at her shut eyes, he could tell she was trying to keep him from noticing her pain, but it was evident in her furrowed eyebrows. He was about to beg for time to give Tohru her pain medication, but when he looked up, all he could see was apathy in both of their families' eyes. No one seemed to care that Tohru was hurt besides him.

"You would force your niece to marry someone who does this to her?" Yuki demanded, facing Tohru's aunt and uncle as he raised her bandaged arms up to their sight.

Neither of them responded. Yuki swore softly under his breath, angered to have his suspicions confirmed. They really didn't care that Tohru was injured, and they didn't mind that she'd probably always be in a condition similar to the one she was in now, if not worse. Clenching his fists, he fought to keep his anger at their insensibility under control. Tohru deserved a better family than that. Although his parents wouldn't treat her much better, at least with him, he could constantly protect her. His mother would be a danger, and one glance up into her cold eyes confirmed that.

"What has Machi done to you, then?" his mother snarled.

"Nothing. But I'm not going to force her to marry a man who'll treat her badly. I'm not going to make her marry a man who's in love with another woman. I won't force her to bear with me as I long for a different woman. She doesn't deserve that, mother," Yuki replied seriously.

Yuki smiled when he heard several people standing around murmur in consideration of his words, but his mother seemed displeased with all the attention. She slapped the guard directly to her left on the shoulder before stomping on the foot of the one to her right. They flinched and jumped away from her, revealing to Yuki for the first time that Machi had been standing there the whole time. Machi smiled faintly at him as she spun around and walked back into the palace, tacitly announcing she had no wish to marry him either. Noticing this, Yuki's mother lost all her composure.

"What are you all standing around for? Go do something already! You heard him!" she hollered loudly.

"No! I-I won't let you have him… H-He's mine!" Tohru screeched, clutching him closely to her.

She squeezed him tightly, her head pressed against his chest. Nobody moved. They couldn't hurt a girl, let alone a princess, and it didn't look like they could pry her off without force. Yuki took a deep breath and shifted his hands quickly, ignoring the confused look Tohru shot at him. He supported most of her weight with one of his arms as he freed one hand. Yuki carefully held her in place as he reached into his pocket to grasp the handle of the stiletto hiding inside. He tightly pressed Tohru to his chest, ready to restrain her as he freed the weapon from the sheath.

"Why aren't you moving!? Get to it! Don't ignore me!" she screamed.

She stomped her foot impatiently, about to rip Tohru from her son herself. Just as she was about to do so, Yuki raised his other hand, poising the blade to his own neck. She froze where she was, unable to even lower her raised fingers. Too startled to do much else, she shut her once gaping mouth and took a step away from her son, trying her best to keep him from doing anything drastic. Nobody else dared to move a muscle, let alone make a noise as Yuki tightened his hold around the dagger, keeping the blade no more than a centimeter from his own flesh.

"Don't come any closer," Yuki warned slowly, making sure they were aware that he was serious.

A gasp erupted from everyone watching. His mother stiffened. Tohru peeked up, confused. She shrieked when she noticed the very knife Haru had given him at his neck. She reached for the knife frantically, but he raised it out of her reach. He grasped her two hands in one of his, locking them in place. Tears flooded down her face as she stood there, unable to even get him to look her way. She just stood there helplessly, a foot away from him yet not capable of preventing him from taking his life if he chose to.

"Y-Yuki! D-Don't!" Tohru wailed.

"What do you want, Yuki?" his mother questioned coolly.

"Leave us be, or I'll leave you with Ayame as your only heir," Yuki threatened.

Tohru gawked, thrashing in his hold, but she couldn't break free. She bit her lip worriedly, unable to see whether the knife had gotten any closer to his throat through the towers of tears built up on the edges of her eyes. Her lips twisted downwards in anguish. She opened her mouth twice only to shut it both times, too petrified to find words to say. Tohru finally shut her eyes in attempt to try to convince herself that she was just imaging things, but when she finally blinked away the tears, nothing had changed before her. Except, his mother didn't seem bothered by her son's imminent suicide anymore.

His mother smiled, "I don't think you would."

"Why is that?"

"Could you really hurt _her_ like that?"

"I can be selfish," he responded calmly.

"Don't… Y-Yuki-kun… Please…" Tohru pleaded softly in vain.

He ignored her again, "What will it be, mother?"

The queen glared at him, fighting an internal battle. She couldn't let a death threat win her over. He couldn't be serious, not with Tohru crying there beside him. But, she didn't want to take her chances. Yuki was her only heir. Ayame was a helpless case, and she was too old to try for another child. She gritted her teeth together, keeping her face void of emotion. What could she do? She knew her current daughter-in-law well enough to know that she wasn't much of an actress.

Tohru glanced helplessly at the people around her, standing there and doing absolutely nothing to save her precious husband. She eyed them all, but none seemed to feel any sympathy towards her. Haru wouldn't even meet her eyes. He even restrained Kisa when she had tried to help Tohru, but after he whispered something into her ear, Kisa settled down and remained where she was. Tohru's eyebrows knitted together with confusion when she saw that. She had no idea what they were planning, but their calmness did nothing to dispel her panic.

"Stop him, please," Tohru begged, her voice hardly audible to the guards around her.

"Don't come near me," Yuki told them, his voice malicious though his words held no threat.

That was the first time he had acknowledged a thing coming out of her mouth, though he still wasn't exactly talking to her. He stole a glance at her, making sure she wasn't in pain, but looked away before she even noticed. Sniffling, Tohru glared at her shoes. He had told her she was capable of making him do anything she wanted him to, but that ability was of no use to her if he wasn't regarding her. He wouldn't take note of the obvious misery she displayed or even hear her distressed cries.

"Let go of me…" Tohru whispered.

His grip loosened slightly, but she still couldn't free herself. He knew her too well to free her. She wasn't sure what she would be able to do even if he freed her. Even without restraints, she doubted she'd be much of a match against him. He was too quick and strong for her to even think about snatching the weapon from him. He'd slit his throat if she were to try. She had no idea what she'd do if he ceased to live. Just thinking about living in a world where he didn't exist made her heart throb, but how could she consider terminating her own life when she was responsible for their unborn child?

"Y-Yuki…" Tohru sniffled, her voice cracking.

Yuki almost dropped the whole plan he had formed with Haru just to comfort her, but he resisted. Barely. He kept his eyes firmly ahead, trying not to focus on the teary girl he could see out of the corner of his eyes. He didn't come all the way here and hurt her this much just to back out now. Yuki couldn't consider himself much more than a wimp now. He was weakened by the sight of her tears, despite how often he had already seen them. It wasn't rare to find Tohru crying, but it was the one thing he handled worst.

"What will it be, mother?" Yuki questioned with a cruel smile.

Before his mother could react, the sound of a gun rang viciously.

"Give me back my fiancée," Akito's dark voice strummed cruelly.

Noting the gun Akito held was pointed directly at the back of Yuki's head, the six guards at his mother's side instantly raised their guns at Akito. Akito simply laughed at this gesture without even hesitating. The gun he held didn't even waver, not even when Tohru screamed. Tohru was fighting harder against Yuki's grip now, desperate to get him out of harm's range, but he disregarded her actions, refusing to even turn around. He was well aware of what Akito was pointing at him, but his efforts would have gone to waste if he showed his fear now. What he was afraid of, though, wasn't his own possible death but instead, what it might do to Tohru.

"Let's see who gets killed first. The Prince of Kaze or me. Shoot me," Akito dared them.

"Stop it! Akito-san! I'll go back with you! Don't shoot!" Tohru pleaded.

She would have begged further, pled with anyone around her, but her sobs constricted her throat and she couldn't utter a single coherent word anymore. She settled for what she could manage, which came out mostly as unintelligible squabbles and shouts. Tohru leaned away from Yuki, trying to use her weight against his hold, but he easily held her up with one hand. In defeat, she retreated back towards him quietly and leaned her forehead against his chest, trying to make the most of whatever time she had left with her only love.

The silence seemed to begin to suffocate everyone around. No one made a move.

A band of police officers broke the delicate stillness as they fired at Akito's hand, forcing him to drop his gun out of pain. Everyone stared in shock as an officer jumped onto Akito and slipped handcuffs around his wrists. Yuki was nearly smiling, recognizing the officers as the ones who had interviewed him yesterday. The first step of his plan had gone quite smoothly. Akito was officially out of the picture. Surely he was more favorable than a murderer, but from the deadly glares he received from Tohru's aunt, his hopes plummeted. At least Tohru would be separated from Akito for a few years.

"Your highness, you're under arrest for attempted murder," one officer announced.

"What proof do you have of such action?!" Akito demanded angrily.

"Actually, we found the weapon you used. We found this knife covered with the princess' blood and your fingerprints not too far from your palace," another officer announced as he held up the bloody weapon sealed in a plastic bag.

After a screaming Akito was led into the back of a police car, everyone's attention was returned to Yuki. The guards all lowered their guns, but Yuki kept the knife at his neck. All signs of his previous joy and disappointment were erased and had already been replaced by a steady, cold gaze. He wasn't going to let Tohru down. He couldn't let all that pain he was forcing her to suffer though be for nothing. He'd guarantee a safe future for his child and Tohru if it were the last thing he did. It was the least they deserved, not this conflict ridden life he had already made Tohru endure.

"What will it be?" Yuki repeated his question seriously.

"I'll shoot her," his mother threatened.

She snatched the gun from a nearby guard and aimed it at Tohru. The gun wavered in her feeble grip. She had no experience with guns, but she kept her expression fierce. Yuki simply smiled in return. He wasn't worried. He doubted his mother would be able to land a bullet where she wanted. If she did manage to fire correctly, he was ready to toss Tohru behind him. Tohru wouldn't get another scratch so long as he was still breathing. He hadn't been able to protect her from Akito, but he refused to allow his mother to finish what Akito had started.

"Would you really want to be deemed the murderer of your grandchild?" Yuki inquired nonchalantly, playing off of her fondness for the opinion of the public.

His mother seemed to shake out of her fury. When his father dared to grasp her shoulder, she nearly attacked him, but he kept his hand where it lay, using it as a restraint. Yuki peered at his father questioningly, not sure whether he should be appreciative or worried. The king's face was stoic Yuki could read no intent in his dark eyes. Even Tohru peeled her face off of Yuki's shirt to check on the scene behind her. She too was shocked by what she saw and gasped when Yuki's father dismissed the guards with a brief flick of his wrist.

"Enough. Let the boy be," he ordered.

"No! He's marrying Machi!" she snapped in disagreement.

"Tohru-chan is perfectly suitable. Don't force him. Enough," he almost growled.

Her jaw dropped at the sound of his defiance. She raised her hand to him, extending a shaky finger towards him. Threats of all sorts formed in her head, but she couldn't voice any of them. She slapped his hands away and stormed away in defeat.

Yuki almost lowered his dagger and released Tohru until her aunt and uncle stepped forward. He was tense again, but tossed the weapon aside as he pulled Tohru tightly against his chest. A threat on his own life would mean nothing to them. Tohru choked back sobs as she wrapped her arms around his back. Unaware of the conflict still brewing behind her, she assumed Yuki's embrace was out of excitement, not as form of protection. Her heart fluttered brightly only to stutter to a stop when her aunt reminded her of her presence.

"Give me my niece. She already has a fiancée," her aunt commanded through her gritted teeth.

"She already has me as her husband. I'm not giving her to you," Yuki told them stubbornly.

"She's ours! And she'll do as we say so long as we're king and queen!" she screeched.

"Oh, then Tohru," Haru finally spoke, "Go be with Yuki. Don't listen to either of them."

The queen snapped her head around and glared at him ferociously, "What do you mean by that?"

Haru held up a document with a smile, "You signed this two years ago. Mom and dad asked you to sign this in case something happened to them. It says here that you two would rule until I was eighteen. And would you look at that, I'm nineteen. So you two are no longer the rulers here, and I grant Tohru permission to be with Yuki."

Those two gaped. Unable to formulate words, they rushed off the scene in a manner similar to Yuki's mother. Entertained, Haru watched with a chuckled, glad he had done some snooping around the castle during Tohru's absence. He seemed to be the only one watching the fleeing monarchs. Everyone else was staring at the elated couple standing in the middle of the large lawn, laughing and embracing. Tohru gasped as Yuki suddenly picked her up by the waist and lifted her up into the air. He swung her around cheerfully. She giggled, releasing pent up tears.

"You're mine, mine, mine," Yuki grinned wide enough to make his face hurt.

"You're mine, mine, mine!" Tohru repeated happily.

"Yes, I'm yours, yours, yours," he laughed.

Yuki set her back down on the ground and held her tightly in his arms, muttering, "It's over."

She pulled back and stared at him with a beseechingly sweet smile. Yuki could only beam at her for a couple of seconds before he leaned forward and captured her lips with his own. For now, he didn't care about the embarrassment he'd feel later for kissing her in front of people he didn't know. He just wanted to claim her as his own and no one else's. Helplessly caught in the moment, Tohru kissed him back. Her weak knees gave in. She felt as if she were melting. Yuki kept his arm firmly around her waist, keeping her upright. Tohru snaked her arms around his neck happily, hopelessly head over heels in love.

Along with everyone else around, a certain someone watched from her bedroom three stories up in the palace. For the first time in years, a motherly smile came across her face. Unwilling to admit it, she closed her curtains, shutting herself away from the exuberant pair. The look in their eyes had changed. She could see their feelings painted across their faces. Love lived in them, twice as large and bright as before, showing only how much closer they had grown in the past year. She had been wrong in thinking she could keep them apart by force. Love wasn't something that could be hidden or destroyed, and Yuki and Tohru's love would just grow over the years, striving to bloom into the loveliest creation.

The End

**Look for epilogue? :D I hope all readers review and tell me their thoughts on the entire story/chapter. **


	37. A Love Even Angels Envy

Tohru peered at the door when a small knock sounded. She smiled widely and quickly finished putting in her earrings. She shut her jewelry box and shoved it back into place. Glancing down at her skirt, she straightened the folds before rushing over to the door. She stole a quick glance over her shoulder at the still slumbering Yuki before she opened one of the two doors to their bedroom. As expected, she found two maids kneeling with their noses pressed to the ground before her. Tohru shook her head fervently as soon as she saw this, dragging them up by their arms. Formalities were never something she enjoyed, and how could servants disagree with her preferences?

"Princess, your guests have arrived," the tall maid announced to her in a meek voice, despite how Tohru had only showered them with unnecessary kindness and generosity.

"Oh! You can bring them up!" Tohru exclaimed cheerfully.

"Actually, they followed us, so they're right here," the maid squeezed in before Uo shoved her aside.

"Tohru!" she cried before tossing her arms around Tohru excitedly.

Tohru giggled as Hana followed in suit. She tried her best not to wince as their embraces brushed against the various wounds hidden under her long sleeved shirt, but Hana's eyes missed nothing. Hana pulled back carefully, her usually emotionless eyes glinting with concern. Feeling Hana break the group hug, Uo copied her in a confounded manner. They both spotted the layers of bandages peeking up at them from her legs. Tohru simply beamed at them. She didn't want them to worry and was glad to see her message was conveyed through her simple gaze.

Regardless, they were concerned, taking her hand into theirs and giving it a sympathetic squeeze. Noting the horrified expression across the maids' face as they watched, Tohru's once happy face turned into a grimace.

"You better come inside before I get yelled at again," Tohru murmured.

She gently tugged them inside before shutting the door and locking it behind her. Uo gawked at the sight before her, not bothering to conceal her shock as she took in the room. It was just a bedroom, but it was clearly large enough for an entire family to live in. In the center was a massive bed – Uo wasn't even sure what size it could be considered- where Yuki was still sleeping. Beside that were two matching nightstands with expensive looking lamps on top. To the left, there was a large table with an array of unlit candles and flowers gracing the center, along with a dresser in the corner and the doors to a closet and a bathroom. To the right there was a living room set complete with couches, a rug, a coffee table, a fireplace, and a wide television mounted to the wall.

"Where the hell do you guys get this stuff? And you actually managed to live in that small ass apartment?! This one room was probably bigger than where you two stayed!" Uo prattled on as she examined every object she came across.

"But this is Yuki-kun's room! Mine was smaller," Tohru told her.

"How much smaller? A square foot?" Uo laughed, "Speaking of your hubby, he's not naked under there, is he?"

"Naked?" Tohru repeated the word in confusion, "Why would he be?"

Tohru peered over at the bed, where Uo's gaze was locked, quizzically. As if he knew he was the new topic of their discussion, Yuki's soft snores seemed to grow the slightest bit louder in protest. He flipped over in the bed, burying his head under the collection of pillows sprawled out on the bed. Tohru frowned as another pillow joined the two that were already on the ground. She sighed as she tossed them back onto the bed. Glancing at where Yuki slept, she finally understood why maids were paid double to clean this one room. The bed sheet was twisted around his leg, barely covering a quarter of the bed now, the comforter was partially under the bed, and more than half of the pillowcases had come off. Uo, however, took no notice of this, too distracted by Tohru's response.

"Oh, don't give me that! You're pregnant! You know what I'm talking about," Uo insisted.

At the realization, Tohru shook her head vehemently, "No, no! He's clothed!"

"Really? And I thought you two would be all over each other."

"No. I'm mad at him," Tohru stated with a slight frown.

"_You_? Mad? At _him_? I don't believe you," Uo replied skeptically.

Being a manager of an apartment complex, Uo had heard a lot of bickering couples through the thin walls. Every one had never ceased to be a source of entertainment for her when she had nothing to do at the counter, but she couldn't remember ever hearing either Yuki or Tohru yell at the other. She had seen Tohru cry, a lot, but nothing close to anger. They were the only couple she knew of that was this close, and she couldn't even conjure up an image in her mind of an angry Tohru. It seemed so improbable that Uo almost laughed, but Tohru's grave expression stopped her from doing so.

"It's true. She hasn't said a word to me for nearly a week," Yuki announced as he sleepily sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Uo jumped in shock, "When did you get up?!"

"When you were screaming and asking Tohru whether I was nude or not," Yuki answered matter-of-factly.

Upon seeing him, Tohru turned around and folded her arms across her chest angrily. Uo and Hana scrutinized Tohru's tense posture in surprise while Yuki gazed at her back apologetically. None of them could see from where they stood, but Tohru's face was contorted as she struggled to keep in sobs that were battling to escape. The tears, however, couldn't be restrained and were painting wet streams down her face. She swallowed as discreetly as she could, trying to force the lump down from her throat without alarming Yuki. He noticed anyways, despite her efforts, but to her relief, he didn't approach her and try to comfort her.

"Tohru, I'm sorry. How many times do I have to apologize until you forgive me?" Yuki asked sadly.

Tohru didn't respond. The clear agony in his voice turned the small skirmish she was having with her cries into a raging war, and she was the one without any weapons and defensive structures. Her forces were quickly dropping, and her body began to shake with spasms of sobs, all poorly concealed until she gave up and dropped to her knees. Yuki hesitated, tempted to drag her into his arms and soothe her cries away, but he held back, knowing his gesture would just make her cry more. Instead, Hana knelt down besides his wife and patted her back gently. Yuki envied Hana more than anyone else as he saw that Tohru made no move to swat away her friend.

Uo let out a low whistle, "What did you do to her? Did you cheat on her? 'Cause if you did, I'm going to have to kill you."

"I didn't cheat on her. I did absolutely nothing," Yuki disagreed.

"Nothing?! You think threatening to kill yourself is nothing?!" Tohru snapped, "Do you know what that'd do to me?! How do you expect me to go on without you?"

"Tohru, I already told you. I wasn't going to kill myself," Yuki responded softly.

Tohru shook her head and turned back around before any more of her tears spilled. She covered her face with her hands, not even trying to keep her cries under control anymore. She couldn't even hear the worried knocks of maids who had overheard her wails and were ready to toss out Uo and Hana, the people they were obviously suspecting to be the causes of Tohru's tears. Their knocks increased when nobody bothered to respond to them. They were easily droned out, though, as it was hard to hear much over her cries anyways.

"That's why you're mad, Tohru? I think threatening your life for the one you love is romantic," Uo told her.

"There's nothing romantic about it!" Tohru shrieked.

"Tohru, I'm sorry," Yuki repeated, "I won't do it again. I promise."

"You promise me a lot of things…." she whispered.

She trembled as she covered her mouth with a shaky hand and fled from the room, brushing past the worried crowd without a word of acknowledgement. Yuki buried his head in his hand with a dissatisfied grunt. That was the first time she had spoken to him in over five days, and all he had done was make her cry. Frustrated, he yanked on the ends of his silvery hair. After explaining to her over five times the plan that he and Haru had formulated, he had made no progress in trying to convince her that there was no intention at his harm. He couldn't pacify her at all. No words or gestures would calm her.

"Aren't you going to go after her?" Uo demanded.

Yuki shook his head, "If I do, she just cries more."

"Jeez… How many times have you apologized already?"

"One thousand and twenty times," Yuki replied.

"Are you kidding?"

Again, Yuki shook his head. He raked his fingers through his hair in an annoyed fashion as Uo gawked at him. She wasn't even sure if she said a thousand words in a day, yet even after such an extravagant amount of apologies, Tohru wasn't showing any signs that even hinted at forgiveness. Her resilience was still as strong as it had been the first day. During the past year as they snuck around to be with one another, he had treasured her determination and effort she could put in, but now it was becoming a difficulty he had to deal with. Added to that, her pregnancy was fueling her fury whenever she was tempted to forgive him.

"She's insane…" Uo muttered.

Yuki smiled at that, "She's never really angry, though she really should be after all she's been through these past weeks. I guess it all came out at once. And what luck! I get to be her victim… But it's not too bad since I figure subconsciously, she deems me the person most likely to forgive her for this."

"How long has she been mad?"

"About five days," Yuki answered.

"That's when you guys got back together, isn't it?"

"Basically… She was all happy and bubbly for a couple of hours, and then she just stopped talking to me. I didn't think much of it at first. I just thought she was in shock, but when I tried to kiss her goodnight, she bit me."

He traced the bottom of his lip with the tips of his fingers, recalling exactly where her teeth had been. She hadn't bit hard enough to do much else other than shock him, but her ire dealt the damage her teeth hadn't been able to. He couldn't even begin to describe his disappoint as he found she still refused to speak with him the next morning. After dreaming of a reunion for weeks, the blow of her rage could have knocked him off his feet. Within the short twenty four hour period he had been with her, he had already managed to upset her. Before he even figured out what he had done, he had apologized over a hundred times.

"Bit you? Isn't that supposed to be pleasurable?" Uo snickered.

"Not if she's trying to gnaw off my lips."

"Ouch… I'll go talk to her and see if I can change her mind," she offered.

"Good luck," Yuki shrugged.

Uo exited the room confidently, but her positive attitude quickly diminished when she saw the seemingly endless hallways and the numerous floors of the palace. She had no idea where to start looking and was afraid that if she left, she'd never make it back to the room. The long corridors suddenly resembled a labyrinth. She could practically hear the growl of the awaiting beast. Expecting such, she nearly screamed when Hana approached her with her usual nonchalance, unfazed by Uo's lurch and the terror in her light brown eyes.

"Tohru is over here," Hana finally announced, stepping around Uo and heading to the left.

Uo trustingly followed her psychic friend down two cases of stairs and through an empty hall to a large balcony. Surely enough, Tohru was huddled by the railings with her knees brought up to her chest and her face buried in her arms. They could hear her sobs even before they were within fifteen feet of her. Cautiously, they approached her slowly, not wanting to startle her. Their careful, quiet steps were pointless, she wouldn't have heard them even if they were stomping towards her. Her weeping droned out most noises.

"Tohru?" Uo started gently.

Tohru peeked up in shock. Rapidly she shook her head and swiped at the leaking tears, forcing a smile onto her face. Finding the tears had no end, Tohru kept the edges of her sleeves at her cheeks, trying in vain to keep them from noticing. They had seen her crying enough back at the room she shared with Yuki. She sucked in a deep breath and lowered her hands, trying to erase all signs of her prior cries with minimal success. Her shaky smile wavered frequently, occasionally disappearing entirely, despite all the strength she used to try to keep it there.

"I'm sorry. I invited you two here, and I'm being a terrible host. Would you two like to eat or bathe or rest? Are you thirsty?" Tohru stammered, trying to hide her unsteady voice.

"Don't worry about us. We're worried about you," Uo cut in, "Don't you think it's time to forgive him already?"

Tohru shook her head immediately.

"He apologized one thousand and twenty times, and you still can't find it in your heart to forgive your husband, who you love so much?"

"One thousand and thirty actually… Thirty two if you count today," Tohru corrected.

"See? That's even more than he said! Come on, you're making yourself and your hubby sad," Uo urged her.

Tohru looked away at the mention of her husband, not purely out of anger, but more so due to her sorrow and guilt over upsetting him. Her anger hadn't subsided any of her love for him. Nothing could, but she couldn't let go of her grudge. He simply didn't understand how frightened she had been in those fields when he had a knife pressed to his throat. He held onto the notion that his love surpassed hers by such a great margin that she felt as if he thought she didn't love him at all. Feeling tears stinging her eyes again, she shoved these thoughts out immediately and refocused.

"I'm fine," Tohru insisted.  
"Who are you trying to fool?"

"Myself."

"There's no reason for this, Tohru. Come on. You still sleep in the same bed as him, don't you? How can you not talk to him? Knowing you, keeping up this act of no speaking must be extremely hard," Uo guessed.

"It is… I love Yuki-kun. I do talk to him, just when he's asleep. It's too hard otherwise," Tohru admitted.

A faint blush bloomed across her cheeks with her confession. How could she ignore him all day and continue to do so at night when he'd hug her and remind her of how much he loved her in his sleep? Nonetheless, it was embarrassing to discuss how she only spoke to her husband while he was slumbering. To her relief, Uo and Hana didn't get the time to respond. Three stiff knocks on the glass door to the balcony made the three of them look up at the stoic doctor standing there with a disapproving gaze.

Hatori interrupted their conversation curtly, "Tohru-kun, I thought I told you to stop moving around so much."

"S-Sorry, Hatori-san," Tohru murmured.

"Didn't I tell Yuki to keep you inside your bedroom?" he inquired.

"Umm… Yes…"

"I knew I should have asked someone else to do that. He's too soft. He lets you do whatever you want," Hatori muttered under his breath.

"That's not true!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Tohru-kun, just get back into bed before you reopen your injuries," Hatori ordered, "But remember, no strenuous activities."

Tohru frowned but stood obediently, slightly flushing at the latter of Hatori's command. She paused at the doorway, reluctant to abandon her friends there. She had invited them over with promises of fun and relaxation, not with intentions to force them to be witnesses to her problems. Uo and Hana, however, would hear nothing of her guilt. They were practically shoving her back inside. They would have, but they figured she had enough bruises and scratches and was in no need of more.

"Go on, Tohru. Use this as an opportunity to make up with your husband," Uo urged.

Tohru didn't respond as she walked back to her bedroom, hanging her head the entire way. She hesitated outside the door for a few moments before she shoved it open and stepped in. She found Yuki lying in bed with his head resting on his arms, staring at the ceiling lazily. His eyes fluttered over to her as the door swung shut. Tohru turned away from the wide grin that quickly overtook his face before a smile could tug her lips up. She took slow steps over to the bed, edging over slowly so her downcast eyes wouldn't make her fall.

"Tohru!" Yuki exclaimed excitedly.

He sat up and was about to jump up and greet her, but she refused to meet his gaze. His arms dropped back to his sides as his smile faltered. To his dismay, she said nothing as she laid herself down on the bed, a few inches away from him with her face turned to the wall. Yuki frowned, watching her with forlorn eyes. He hadn't realized he had gotten his hopes up that Uo and Hana would talk Tohru out of her anger until the letdown crushed him. His heart sank so deep that he doubted it was still in his body. His fingers brushed against her shoulder gently, but she hardly stirred at the contact.

"Tohru, please… Talk to me," Yuki begged.

"How could you do that to me? Do you even know what it's like to think I'm going to lose you? That I may never see you again or hear your voice or feel your arms around me?" she choked out shakily.

"Actually… I know exactly how that feels. I can't even describe how I felt when I found you unconscious and drenched in blood. And when your heartbeat started to fade and your breathing lessened. It was pure torture to sit in the waiting room when they stole you away from me and refused to let me stay with you. And then I had to wait hours until you'd open your eyes. I know exactly how that feels," Yuki told her.

"I didn't do that intentionally."

"How about this past week? You refused to even look at me. I could practically feel you slipping away."

Tohru shoved herself up into a sitting position. Her heart throbbed at his mention of his suffering and how much she had hurt him. She had to grit her teeth together and clench her hands into fists just to keep the tears trapped behind her eyes and newfound sobs locked away. Yuki's eyebrows furrowed with concern when he noticed this. He wanted to draw her into his arms and comfort her as he usually did when she was somber, but before he even lifted his arms to welcome her to his embrace, he was met with her uncharacteristically fiery eyes.

"You did it more than I did! How about the time you wouldn't even answer my calls after I was almost raped? Or when Machi was with you? Or when you were almost beat to death?!" she cried fervently.

"That time with Machi counts for both of us, and so does the time I let Akito hurt me. I thought I had lost you both those times too. How about when you found out I was a prince?" Yuki asked.

"That counts for me too."

"When you went missing with Motoko? Or when you got lost or every time you yell at me?"

Tohru was silent, unable to respond to either of those. She felt ashamed to have been the only angry one. He seemed to have every right to ignore her now that he pointed these things out. She pursed her lips together fretfully at the thought. Tohru couldn't even imagine what that would be like. She couldn't help but shudder at the thought of extending the fight. This short little talk had already convinced her that nothing was worth being apart from him.

"Can we call it even?" he murmured.

She slowly nodded. Being angry at the person she loved most wore her out. Her whole body and soul rejected the silence and separation, not to mention her heart. That one organ was enough to make her will waver. It ached to be near him at all times, arguing with her mind and making her reasoning seem silly and pointless. She had managed to keep it satisfied with her night time conversations, but that wasn't enough to last through the day. It would shatter bit by bit into an amount of pieces she couldn't even count, but now it fluttered jubilantly, racing and lurching about in joy.

"So you forgive me?"

Tohru beamed in response and tossed her arms around him. She was exuberant, too joyful to even be embarrassed as he kissed her cheek. She couldn't believe he wasn't holding any of his arguments against her. That doubled her guilt, but she couldn't dwindle with negative feelings in his arms. He squeezed her tightly, glad her midriff was wound free. Yuki couldn't be more grateful that her moods fluctuated so easily nowadays. The tears had dried and a large smile replaced the gloomy frown. He could hardly tell that minutes ago she was sobbing bitterly and yelling at him.

"Your belly is bigger," he muttered after a moment of silence.

"W-What?"

"You're pregnant. I can tell now."

"You're not supposed to be able to! I'm only a few months," Tohru reminded him.

He laughed, "I hug you so often. How can I not?"

At first, she was pleased with his words, glad to know how he seemed to have memorized everything about her. But that joyous feeling soon subsided as she recalled that she was only a few months pregnant. There wasn't supposed to be much of a difference yet. If he could tell this early, she was petrified to think about what he'd say when she was nearing the end and other people could also tell that her midriff had grown. She swallowed nervously, not sure what to think of the pregnancy anymore.

"Will you still love me when I'm this big?" Tohru asked, holding her hand out with the palm facing herself five inches from her abdomen.

"Of course."

"And if I'm this big?" she inquired, extending her hand to be a foot away from her stomach.

"Hmm… I'll have to think about that one," Yuki breathed, pretending to be uncertain.

Tohru's eyebrows furrowed together as her jaw dropped sadly, clearly believing his doubt, despite the obvious taint of humor to his expression. She broke the embrace with her lower lip quivering, but before even a single tear could spill over, she was swept back into his arms. This time, his arms locked around her securely, and she could hardly budge. Confused, she blinked a couple of times, battering her eyelashes against his neck. Yuki ran his fingers through her dark tresses, tacitly reassuring her of his unconditional love.

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" he exclaimed quickly, "I'll still love you even if you fell into an ocean filled with ravenous sharks, got all of your limbs bitten off, and your face melted, and your skin turned purple."

"That… That's specific."

"And true. I'll love you forever. No matter what. I promise."

Yuki leaned towards her happily, about to kiss her for the first time in five days, but he froze when the door swung open. He wouldn't have stopped if Tohru hadn't jerked her face away in humiliation when Ayame pranced into the room, followed by a woman with dark hair pulled up into two braids on either ends of her head. He waved his index finger around in Yuki's face in a teasing gesture of disapproval as he slipped his arms around Tohru's waist and slid her an inch away from Yuki. Tohru was too embarrassed to protest and cling to Yuki.

"Naughty brother! Behave yourself! You've already conceived a child," Ayame laughed.

"Get out, Niisan," Yuki growled, making a move to snatch Tohru back.

"I can't! I need to get Tohru-kun's measurements for your wedding ceremony," Ayame smiled.

Tohru flushed as she was torn from Yuki's arms by Ayame and his assistant. Before she could blink a measuring tape had been wrapped around her stomach, and her arms had been lifted. Hands flitted across her arms and legs as the tape encircled every inch of her body.

"Hey! Be careful! Don't hurt her!" Yuki shouted irritably.

"Oh, don't you worry, brother-dear. I wouldn't-" Ayame began confidently then froze as Tohru winced.

Yuki instantly swept Tohru back into his arms, yanking her away from Ayame and his rulers and measuring sticks. He held her protectively against his chest, careful to avoid all her injuries. Tohru flushed as both Ayame and Mine stared at the both of them. She turned away from them shyly, wrapping her arms around Yuki's neck once she realized neither of her feet was touching the ground. He was overreacting, but she couldn't find the words to tell him when his face was twisted with such honest fret. Yuki's gaze lingered on hers, mistaking her uncertainty for pain.

"I told you not to hurt her!" Yuki snapped.

"I-It's okay, Yuki-kun… I just accidentally brushed my arm against the ruler," Tohru smiled sheepishly before Ayame and Mine got into further trouble.

"Are you sure?" Yuki asked.

She nodded reassuringly, "Yes. I need a new dress, and Ayame-san promised to make me one."

"Exactly, brother! Quickly now! Hand her over," Ayame ordered.

Yuki reluctantly loosened his grip around Tohru's waist and set her back on the ground as he glared at Ayame, but he made no move to give her to his brother. Tohru sighed as she slipped out of Yuki's grip and walked back over to Ayame. The quick measuring process was taken up again, a bit slower this time as her injuries were brought to their attention. Yuki watched carefully, making sure neither of the two got too close to any of the numerous wounds across her body. He was visibly relieved when Ayame set his pencil down, finished recording all the measurements he needed.

"Don't forget to make it a little bigger or I won't be able to wear it for the ceremony!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Tohru-kun. I haven't forgotten," Ayame assured her, "But to think, my brother has been conceiving children."

"Niisan, shut up already," Yuki muttered, looking away embarrassedly.

Ignoring Yuki's order, Ayame cooed, "Tohru-chan, you'll look absolutely stunning!"

"But my bandages-"

"Don't worry. I have beautiful gloves for you, and a lovely shawl you can use to cover your shoulders," Ayame assured her.

Tohru's expression dropped with those words. Though the palace was cool enough to be wearing all of those layers, a shawl definitely wasn't part of her idea of a wedding gown. She didn't even want a wedding ceremony, but she had caved in out of guilt when Ayame had prattled on about how he had dreamed of making a dress for her to wear. Her assent was given at the thought that the reception would be held after her wounds had long healed and the scars faded, but due to a small error, the ceremony was going to be in fourteen days.

"Niisan, this is all your fault. It's summer. She's going to burn in all of that. You ruined everything! Why couldn't you just remember the correct date? Now that wedding is in two weeks, that's two months early!" Yuki reminded him.

"The sooner the better!"

"It's not better! Tohru has hardly healed!"

"She will be fine."

"Not in time! Now just leave if you're done."

Ayame smiled widely before jotting down a few extra notes and bounding out the door. Yuki was still frowning after Ayame had left. Tohru laughed at his expression as she sank into his awaiting arms. She didn't want him to be wearing such a crestfallen expression anymore. She had seen enough of those solemn eyes these past days and couldn't bear to see it anymore, regardless of how she felt about her wedding attire. Reaching up from the tips of her toes, she planted a kiss on his cheek, managing to get a tiny smile from him.

"I love you, my overprotective husband."

"I love you more, my too-kind-for-her-own-good wife."

Tohru groaned softly, "Don't start."

She laughed seconds later, glad to know Yuki felt their relationship was secure enough to start their little argument again. It filled her with relief. He grinned as he pressed his lips to her forehead. Her cheeks darkened as his lips traversed her face to find the corner or her mouth. His lips were just starting to cover hers when the door swung open again. Tohru gasped, jumping away from him abruptly. She nearly flew off the bed, but Yuki caught her arm just in time. His expression darkened when Ayame entered again.

"Tohru-kun! I need you to do a favor for me!" Ayame exclaimed, continuing without even getting her consent, "In town, I have a precious object waiting to be picked up!"

"Oh! Then I'll go get it for you! Don't worry!" Tohru agreed with a wide smile.

"Tohru…." Yuki muttered, "Niisan, go ask your assistant or something."

"I can't do that, little brother. I can only trust you two with this very important task of mine!"

"Why?"  
"Because this is extremely valuable! No more questions, please!"

Ayame pressed a sheet of paper into Yuki's palm before shoving the two of them out the door impatiently. Yuki let out a sigh as he glanced at the now shut door. He shook his head and led Tohru down the stairs reluctantly. Tohru followed with a worried glance, afraid that she had made Yuki do something he didn't want to. She hadn't meant to agree on his behalf. He hadn't even gotten the chance to eat yet. Tugging on his hand, she got him to stop and face her with a confused expression.

"Yuki-kun, you don't have to go if you don't want to," Tohru told him, "I'll go by myself!"

"I'm not letting you wander around town alone. You'll get kidnapped," Yuki muttered.

"But you don't want to go-"

"I _want_ to go with _you_," he insisted.

Tohru flushed but nodded as they stepped outside. Yuki wasn't surprised to find a car with a chauffer all ready to go as soon as they got there. He beat the driver to opening the door for Tohru before he slid in after her. Besides a simple greeting, the chauffer said nothing as he drove them to their destination.

When they reached town, Yuki was hardly surprised by the flashes of cameras and swarms of reporters. Everyone was dying to find out what had happened between them, especially since wedding invitations had already been sent out. Tohru, on the other hand, flushed and looked away when they got out of the car. The lighting was already blinding her, and the screams of the crowds forming around them was deafening her. Yuki sighed and draped his arm around her shoulders, dragging her forward to the store they arrived at. He was easily ignoring the commotion, unlike her.

"Princess! Princess! What happened to you?!"

"Yuki-sama! Is it true you're already married?"

"Princess! Are you pregnant?!"

Yuki sighed again but made no comment. He simply tugged Tohru into the store he didn't bother to remember the name of. He was grateful the shopkeeper was kind enough to lock the door behind them. It turned out the receipt Ayame had given him was unnecessary. The vendor knew exactly what they were here for. He flashed them a polite smile before bowing and exciting to retrieve their package. He returned with a large white box and held it out to Tohru. Tohru took it curiously, peeking under the lid. Her eyes widened at the frilly lace inside, and she gasped softly at the beauty.

"What is it?" Yuki inquired.

To his bewilderment, Tohru abruptly slid the lid back into place when he leaned towards her to have a look inside the box. She clutched the box tightly against her chest, holding it away from him. He peered at her quizzically when she made an attempt to scowl at him –which came out more looking like a pitiful expression of pain and guilt, but he could also spot glimpses of her stubbornness. He frowned and dropped his outreached hand in hopes of comforting her, but her grip around the package didn't loosen at all. She continued to gaze suspiciously at him as she moved the box to her side.

"Fine. I won't look," he promised.

"It's just my veil…" Tohru confessed, suddenly feeling awful about her actions after hearing the sadness in his voice.

"It's fine. Let's just go back home… This is paid for, correct?" Yuki added the last part towards the salesperson.

He nodded, and Yuki clasped his hand to Tohru's, leading her back to the door. Noting the growing crowds screaming just inches from the shop entrance, Yuki hesitated, dropping his hand from the door. He stepped away, letting the shades drop back over the glass panels. Not only did he not want to face all those people and their endless questions, but it didn't even seem physically possible to squeeze through the continuous barricade of commoners. Turning back towards the shop, he smiled when he noticed a red sign in the back of the store, labeling the exit.

"Can we leave through there?" Yuki inquired hopefully.

"Of course. But the alley is quite filthy and most definitely not suitable-"

Yuki cut him off with a disregarding wave of his hand as he tugged Tohru towards the back. Tohru followed after him quite willingly. She wasn't in the mood to face a large crowd demanding to know about her private life, but spotting the narrow, dark street before her, her priorities wavered. Overflowing trashcans were infested with all sorts of vermin, and the crumbling pavement was covered with splotches of unidentifiable murky liquid. Tohru grimaced and pressed herself tightly against Yuki.

He laughed, "Shall I carry you?"

She shook her head embarrassedly, taking half a step away from him to discourage him from the idea. He peered at her with a dubious expression until she took a step forward, careful to avoid the dark puddles. Anxious of her probable fall, Yuki held onto her arm. He didn't dare to take his eyes off of her until they were safely walking on the sidewalk away from the alleyways. Only there did he finally release her and pull out his cell phone to tell the chauffeur to pick them up elsewhere. He was dismayed to find that they'd have to walk quite some distance.

"What's wrong?" Tohru asked fretfully.

"Nothing… We just have to walk a bit," Yuki told her.

"Where to?"

"Near the highway," Yuki responded and then added, "Don't walk so far ahead. Come back before someone kidnaps you."

Tohru happily skipped back towards him and locked her hand to his. She swung their arms back and forth as they walked along in silence. Neither spoke in fear of alerting the newly arrived news crew down the block. They could still hear the commotion that seemed to be increasing in volume. They rounded the corner quickly after peering over their shoulders to make sure that no one had noticed either of them escaping.

Not having been in town -or her home for that matter- for quite some time, Tohru's head snapped back and forth, taking in the sights almost hungrily. She froze when she caught sight of the highway barricades. Tohru was unable to tear her eyes away from a particular section that seemed to be newer than the rest of the rusting fragments of metal. Her eyes narrowed, and soon, she was diverging from the path Yuki had set out for them. She seemed to have lost control of her own feet as they dragged her towards the structure.

Yuki gasped and yanked her back to the sidewalk before a car zooming by hit her.

"What are you doing? You could have gotten yourself killed!" Yuki exclaimed.

Tohru blinked in confusion. Still in a daze, she pointed across the roads, "I want to go there."

"We can go, just don't try to kill yourself, please. For me if nothing else," Yuki pled.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself! Don't worry!" Tohru assured him.

He nodded with a smile, but she could tell his grip around her was tighter now, and he was watching her closely. Tohru waited patiently with him until he decided it was safe enough. Although his caution made them stand there for several extra minutes –he didn't let them cross until there was a large enough gap between cars that she'd have enough time to get across even if she fell- they eventually made it to their destination. Her eyes doubled in size as she took in the grassy area beyond the highway. Yuki glanced at her before following her gaze, and soon, his expression mirrored hers.

_Both of them were sitting in the back seat of a car with her parents, Kyoko and Katsuya, in the front. Everyone was smiling. It was their wedding day. A wedding dress and tuxedo were in the trunk. Shigure, Hatori, Ayame, and even his parents were in the car behind them, following closely. Kyo was there as well. The day was supposed to go perfectly. The sun was up high, shining brightly upon them and wishing them a happy future. _

_The wish didn't reach them in time, however. _

_They were telling jokes, laughing when a car suddenly slammed into the front of their vehicle. Their car was sent flying off the road, tumbling and rolling down a steep hill. Yuki instinctively wrapped his arm around Tohru, holding the frightened girl close to his body, and used his arm as a shield, covering her head. She pressed her face against his chest, her life flashing before her eyes. Abruptly, they stopped. The car landed upside down, wheels still spinning. Smoke started to climb out from the engine, and he swore he could see small flames begin to lick the air._

_Dizzily, Yuki undid both of their seatbelts as quickly as he could. He kicked the door open and dragged an unconscious Tohru out of the car. Her face was streamed with blood. He assumed she had hit her head against the now broken window, despite his efforts to keep her safe. Glancing back at the fire engulfing the car, he rushed back to get her parents after he had lain her on the ground a safe distance from the vehicle. He attempted to stand, but before he could take a step closer, the fire reached the gas, and an explosion erupted. Yuki was blown back by the force, hitting his head against a bolder. The blood drizzling down his face was the last thing he remembered before it went black. _

And that's where he and she left off.

She awoke a week later, bandaged up without a memory of the past couple of years. Haru and Kisa had told her that their parents had died in a car accident two years prior, and that she had amnesia. Neither could tell her about her fiancé. The new king and queen, their uncle and aunt, blamed Yuki and his family for Kyoko and Katsuya's deaths and buried their burned bodies far away. Yuki's family was offended and had placed a similar ban on Yuki's learning of Tohru.

Yuki had awoken two weeks after the accident with a splitting headache. Ayame, Hatori, and Shigure told him he had fallen after confirming that he had completely forgotten about Tohru.

Two months later, after they had completely healed, they met again, despite continued efforts to keep them apart and oblivious of each other. They might not have remembered or even recognized each other, but the attraction remained. From there began a year of sneaking out and meeting each other, the start of the process of falling in love again.

They were standing at the very sight where the crash had occurred.

Tohru looked up at Yuki, wondering if he had just remembered what she did. He mimicked her look, confirming her thoughts. That wasn't the only thing they remembered, however. Everything flooded back, every lost memory and each precious moment, regardless of how trivial and small. Both of them stared at each other as if nothing were lost. She gazed into his eyes, recognizing him as the small silver haired boy who had carried her back to her mother so long ago. Tohru couldn't figure out how she hadn't seen it earlier. Yuki peered back at her, recalling the same thing.

Tears suddenly sprouted onto her face. Yuki drew her near, wrapping her in a warm embrace silently. Both were too speechless to even utter a single word.

-One Month Later-

Tohru twirled around the mirror in amazement. Her flowing dress spun around with her. The bodice was decorated with thousands of tiny white beads and flowery lace, and a light pink ribbon encircled her waist –Uo refused to let her wear pure white. The silky fabric clung to her body perfectly, exactly right for how large she had grown in the past month, a mere inch or two. She danced around excitedly, enjoying the long, intricately designed train of her gown as it wrapped around her. Ayame shook his head as he stopped her and straightened her gown. He gently pulled satin, white gloves that reached her elbows onto her arms, covering the few cuts there.

She slipped on the white heels he presented her with after clasping Yuki's bracelet around her wrist and her pair of their matching necklaces around her neck. Tohru laughed happily as she sat in front of her vanity to allow the two maids at her sides to curl her hair and do her make up. Her thick curls were pulled back with an exquisite clip embedded with small sapphires and diamonds, and a silver tiara was placed atop her head along with her lacy veil. The semi-translucent fabric was pulled over her face, hiding her freshly decorated face. She couldn't wait to let Yuki see her.

She smiled at her reflection before a bouquet of white flowers was pressed to her gloved hands.

"Your prince is waiting," Ayame announced as music began echoing towards them.

Her three bridesmaids, Kisa, Uo, and Hana, stood in their light pink dresses –with the exception of Hana who was dressed in a black gown with a small pink trim. Tohru grinned gleefully as the procession began out the large oak doors to her right. She clapped her hands once after Haru had intertwined his arm with hers –taking the place of their deceased father. Her heart sped up, challenging the beats of a hummingbird's. She took a deep breath and held it as Haru began to lead her through the decorated doorframe.

A quiet gasp escaped her lips as she glanced around at the newly embellished room. Cream-colored ribbons crisscrossed across the rooftop, tangled with various white flowers. Matching balloons were strung along the walls, hanging lazily from the ceiling with pale streamers. The previously empty grand hall had been filled with hundreds of chairs. A dark carpet had been lain down in the aisle she was currently descending upon. Finally, her large eyes drifted over to the raised platform in the front of the room, where a raised arc intertwined with small flowers stood. Her smile widened further when she spotted Yuki grinning at her, standing to the left side of the arc. Tohru's cheeks darkened –eliminating the purpose of the blush coating her cheeks- as she examined him.

Besides his crooked tie, he was the closest thing to perfection she had ever seen. If Haru weren't pulling her along, she would have froze in her tracks and openly gaped at her husband. His smile was heavenly. If she hadn't known him for so long, she could have mistaken him for an angel. The sun glinting off his silvery hair only made him look more ethereal. She only managed to keep her mouth shut with a conscious effort. Her mouth opened, regardless, with a wide grin when she noticed the flower in the pocket of his black tuxedo matched the ones in her bouquet.

Not watching where she was heading, Tohru tripped on the first step to the platform. Flailing her arms around in attempt to regain her balance, she nearly knocked over her nearby friends and her husband. Yuki simply laughed as he caught her arms and pulled her up. Haru stood there blankly for a moment, having lost his job of placing Tohru's hand in Yuki's. After a second, he chuckled softly and moved to Yuki's side, taking his next role as Yuki's best man.

The laughter had died down by the time Tohru was standing straight besides Yuki. She was relieved her back was to the flashing cameras. They had already caught her moment of clumsiness. There was no need to have pictures of her scarlet cheeks as well. Lost in thought of what pictures might end up in tomorrow's newspaper, she softly gasped when she realized she had spaced out for most of what the priest had been saying. It was almost over. She would have panicked if she hadn't heard them already at the smaller wedding she had already had with only Yuki.

"Do you, Tohru Honda, take Yuki Sohma to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to cherish in sickness and in health. Till death do you part?" the priest asked her.

"I do!" Tohru exclaimed.

"Do you, Yuki Sohma, take Tohru Honda to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish in sickness and in health. Till death do you part?"

"I do," Yuki responded, equally confident.

"Then I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the old man concluded.

Yuki turned towards Tohru with a grin, pulling her towards him. Tohru laughed and hopped up to the tips of her toes. He gently pressed his lips to hers, keeping his arms on her lower back. Tossing her arms around his neck, Tohru returned his kiss. She could feel his lips tug upward at the edges as the clicks of cameras tripled. It was at this moment she chose to pull away, too timid to continue. Yuki laughed as he lifted her into his arms, ignoring her protests as he carried her down the aisle. Tohru buried her face into Yuki's shirt shyly, covering her head with her hands as a rain of rice came pouring down on the two of them.

She could feel softer bits land on her face gently. Catching one in the tips of her fingers, she identified it as a pale flower petal. She laughed happily, but suddenly felt bad for whoever would be in charge of cleaning up when pools of glitter joined the flowers and grains. Tohru clung tighter to Yuki, trying her best to ignore all of her guests who were currently standing and applauding. The photographers were worse. She could hardly see anything other than splotches of bright colors when Yuki got her outside.

The glaring sun reflecting off the presents wrapped in shiny paper wasn't helping either. Lines of guests and reporters followed after them to their large yard. A large tent had been set up, decorated with more streams of balloons and flowers. A large buffet of food with a five layer cake in the center had been set up in the back. Yuki set her down at the head of a long table covered with silverware and plates. He laughed as he traced his fingers across her flushed cheeks, grinning at the warmth.

"I love you, Mrs. Sohma," he whispered, tickling her skin with his breath.

"I love you too, Mr. Sohma," Tohru murmured back with a smile.

He grinned at her and pressed his lips against her cheek. Hearing the steady clicks of cameras quicken, surpassing the beat of the drum in the background, Tohru gently shoved his face away. They definitely didn't need to hire professional photographers for their photos –even though they had anyways. Within days, several different versions of their wedding day would pop up in every single magazine sold in the country.

How had they convinced her against the idea of a private wedding again?

She grimaced as the reporters lingering near the edges started coming closer, ready to bombard her with questions. It was the one thing she hated about agreeing to have a public reception. The whole thing was being recorded. She was too afraid to ask whether it was to be shown on television or not. She already knew the answer. Who wouldn't want to watch the wedding ceremony of the prince and princess?

Soon, they were joined by their closest friends and family. Yuki's parents and Tohru's aunt and uncle had even come with faint smiles. Everyone Tohru knew was now seated, even Satsuki had been invited. All were here, except for Haru. Tohru glanced around anxiously for him and gasped when she located him before the microphone set up at the front of the tent. She flicked her wrist urgently, waving him back as discreetly as she could, but he just stared at her, eyes twinkling with humor, as he cleared his throat. Her head dropped when everyone turned toward Haru.

"If you'd all listen, I have a speech," Haru announced clearly, waiting for silence before he continued, "Everyone has had a fling before and has considered it love. Short flings, misleading flings, long flings. You could never consider them relationships, not even that of the couple that wed. Yuki and Tohru. That's a relationship. The devotion, the loyalty, the faith, the respect. The love. That kind of love is hard to find. Impossible, even. It's almost surreal. It's embarrassing to admit, as her older brother, but I really do look up to Tohru in this area. She's remarkable in her capability to love. She loves everyone in a certain way, but with Yuki, she's just… It's a different love. I bet she won't even dance with me anymore."

Haru laughed once.

"Even here, I can see her blush. She shakes her head in denial of my accusation, yet she clings closer to Yuki. And Yuki… I doubt she could have found a better guy. He knows her. He understands her in a way that no one else can. And he respects her. As a woman. As a friend. As a wife. I can't believe I'm going to even try to describe his love for my sister. I'm sure Tohru knows this better than I do, but he just loves her so much. I hate to admit this, but as much as I love her, I'm positive my love can't even compare to Yuki's. Nobody loves Tohru more than he does. Nobody knows her better. I've never seen such a match."

"It's not just one made in heaven, but a relationship that unravels there. The one angels dream of having," Haru concluded, "And I don't even need to wish them anything. I already know they'll be happy together forever."

He looked down with a slight bow before walking away. An applaud erupted, making Tohru flush. As if to cement Haru's speech, the music drifted off into a sweet love song, signaling the first dance. Yuki stood instantly and offered her his hand, which she took with a blush before he led her to the middle of the dance floor.

--One year later--

Yuki peered up when he heard Tohru screaming and rapid footsteps coming his way. Tohru was soon popped into his sight as she came darting to him, carrying their five-month-old daughter in her arms. She hid behind him with a half scowl, cradling the slumbering child protectively to her chest. Yuki watched as she tensed at the sound of the group of pursuers getting closer. She stepped closer to Yuki with wide, alarmed eyes. Grasping the child securely with one arm, she pointed at the dark clothed women rounding the end of the hall.

"Tell them to leave me alone!" Tohru ordered fretfully.

The three maids skidded to a stop before Yuki and dropped down to their knees respectfully. They were panting and out of breath. It was only after a few minutes that they were even able to speak. Tohru shifted away from them when they finally rose to stand. She locked both arms around her baby, pointing her toes down the hallway. Tohru was ready to bolt if they tried to lay their hands on her daughter again. Yuki kept his arm around her shoulder though, pulling her back towards him calmly, disregarding her weariness of the servants.

"They won't let me take care of my own daughter!" Tohru exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Your highness! We have orders from the queen to care for the child!" they defended themselves instantly.

"I recall having this conversation with you all every week now since my daughter has been born. Pretty soon my wife is going to bite your head off if you don't let them be," Yuki told them with the hint of a smile.

Tohru nodded in agreement.

"But- But sire!"

"Just leave."

Tohru let out a sigh of relief when the three of them obediently left the corridor. She smiled broadly and kissed the tiny infant on her forehead. Yuki gazed at both of them with a smile. This was how life was supposed to be, him with the woman he adored more than anything else without anymore struggles –with the exception of the stubborn maids. He gingerly stroked the tiny, pale arm peeking out from under the pink blanket Tohru had wrapped around the child.

"Did she sleep through all that?" Yuki asked incredulously.

"Yes! She takes after her father," she smiled in response.

Yuki peered down at his daughter lovingly. He ran his fingers through the soft, brown locks covering her tiny head. She may have adopted her father's sleeping habits, but she resembled her mother more with their matching shade of brown locks and petite noses. If Tohru weren't standing there, Yuki could have sworn that his daughter was Tohru. The only distinguishing feature was the child's wide, gray eyes, her most gorgeous feature according to Tohru. Yuki disagreed, instead believing everything that mirrored Tohru's appearance was more beautiful. They had finally come to the agreement that their daughter was the embodiment of an angel. Perfect in every aspect.

"Our little dream come true…" Yuki murmured.

"Our little Yume-chan!" Tohru exclaimed, finishing the statement for him.

He chuckled, "Come with me. I have something to show you."

"What is it?"

"An anniversary present."

Tohru gaped at him. He had already gotten her a present for the anniversary of the day they actually wed, a present for the commemoration of when they had met again, and a present to celebrate the day they started dating. They were all priceless gifts that she treasured: jewels and gardens of her favorite flowers. He refused to listen to her when she insisted they were completely unnecessary, continuing to spoil both her and their daughter. But a bigger question kept her from scolding him for that.

"It's too big to fit in here?" Tohru inquired frantically, gesturing around the large palace.

"Yep," Yuki confirmed bluntly.

"Can she come?" Tohru breathed, glancing down at their daughter.

"Of course," Yuki smiled as he took her hand.

Tohru sighed but let him lead her out the castle, knowing better than to argue against it. She shifted the infant in her arms, glancing around when they stepped outside. She was surprised to find the lawn clear of any large box and was shocked further when he led her right past the castle gates. She stepped onto the road with a perplexed expression, but Yuki said nothing as he pulled her down the path. Tohru ducked closer to Yuki as they neared town, trying to hide their baby and herself. She was in no mood to be blinded by camera lights. She knew her daughter was adorable. They had more photo albums than they could count, but she missed her private life.

Yuki distracted her as the rounded the village, "Remember what happened there?"

"You saved me!" Tohru grinned.

"And there…?" he asked, guiding her attention to a sakura tree in the distance.

"When we were seven, you found me there," her cheeks turned red before saying, "Then you kissed me for the first time when we were fifteen. Two years later, I fell on top of you and kissed you."

"A lot of things have happened between us, nn?"

Tohru nodded and leaned closer to him as they entered the forest. Walking through here, they further discussed what happened within these woods. He had driven her home, he had the asthma attack that nearly gave her a heart attack, he confessed his love for her, and numerous other things. They were both enjoying the reminiscing time together. Some of their memories made them laugh, others smile, and a few nearly brought tears to her eyes, like the time she learned he was a prince or when she saw Machi and Yuki together.

Finally, the trees gave away, and they were steps away from the lake.

"And here?"

"Too many things," Tohru laughed.

"Your favorite then," he pressed for her to tell him of a memory.

"All of them. But I really love the roses," Tohru replied with a smile.

"The roses or the kisses did you enjoy more?"

"I like being with you most!" Tohru exclaimed, averting the question.

Yuki let her get away without directly answering his question with a small smirk. Instead he took her hand again and pulled her deeper, diverting from the path to the lake. He led them a couple of yards into the forest before she saw what he was taking her to and gasped. Holding Yume with one arm, her other hand flew to her mouth. She stared incredulously for a moment before her eyes slid over to him. Tohru blinked at his grin then turned back to the structure to make sure it was really there.

There, in the center, sat an awfully familiar, small house.

He beamed at her bewildered expression and yanked her to the porch. Yuki unlocked the door, and she gaped at the sight inside. Her head swung from side to side, drinking in all that she saw. It was impossible not to recognize the furniture and the precise arrangement of it all. Yuki slipped his arms under Yume, taking the child from Tohru before she ran about, running her fingers over every surface she could. His smile simply grew as he noticed the pure delight wafting from her.

"I got all the furniture from our apartment. I even sent some guys over for measurements. It's as close as I could get it. Go ahead and look," he urged her.

"I can't believe this…" she whispered.

"I did take the liberty of making an addition though," he told her as he gestured her to follow him.

He led them to the hallway and opened a door she didn't recognize, revealing a nursery. She gawked at the light pink room. Her commoner life. He remembered. Nothing was lavish or too extravagant. They were all things normal people would have. She could feel tears trailing down her cheeks as she set Yume in the crib in the corner of the room. Tohru spun the small mobile around with the tips of her fingers, turning back to Yuki with an appreciative smile, which he returned.

That is what they both wanted. To be warm, loving parents and spouses, in a place were everyone could be comfortable. Heirs and royalty weren't important. Palaces and money meant little more than nothing to them. The happiness of their family would be what they cherished most. Yuki hadn't been lying to Tohru when he admitted to wanting to raise their children in that apartment. Sure, it was a lot smaller than a castle, and definitely less luxurious, but life there would be less tense and more peaceful. He just wanted Tohru and their child to be some place where they wouldn't have to fuss over acting properly.

"You know, I'm glad we didn't get married the first time…" Tohru admitted a little shyly.

Yuki nodded, holding back from pretending to be offended.

"I know… I feel like I love you a lot more than I did before the accident. I know I loved you before, but now, after we went through all of our problems, I feel as if we know each other better and that our love has grown deeper and stronger. I believe it also shows that fate has our relationship in her favor…" Yuki agreed.

"I think we were too young then as well! What were you thinking?! We were barely sixteen!" Tohru giggled.

"You accepted," he laughed, "But really, I wasn't thinking. I just knew that you were the one for me and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I still do. You are the most precious thing to me, you know that? I love you, and I always will."

"I love you too! I can't imagine my life without you…"

"You're my sun. Everything in my life revolves around you."

With those last words sliding out of his mouth, he put his forefinger under her chin, tilting her face upwards towards him. Then, he caught her lips with his.

Love endlessly flowed between them. They had faced their problems together, never for a second wanting to be apart through their ups and downs. It would seem that no matter what tried to get in their way they always found their way back to each other with a little help from destiny. Love would forever shine upon their lives, illuminating every step of their lives together from now on. All that was left to do was grow old together, raising their children and someday grandchildren.

And as all stories must do, the tale of Yuki and Tohru must end with these six words: And they lived happily ever after.

**The only thing I like about this chapter is the title. D: There's like three epilogues here though. xD The true one probably is the one year later part. I hope you liked the story anyways, regardless of this rushed epilogue. It's officially complete! **


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